Becoming a Master
by KagoTori
Summary: Three hundred years ago, Indigo's world burned to ashes. In his last battle he fought the evil trying to destroy everything he loved, and lost. All Indigo wanted was to die. As if it were that easy. Cursed and exiled to the future, the only way to return to his time was to learn the meaning of strength. As if that wasn't cryptic enough, he had to do so as a Lucario. Stupid destiny.
1. Burning Skies

**Disclaimer: If I owned Pokemon I would not be here. :) I had fun with this, so I hope you enjoy it too!**

**~o~**

"Hey, Mommy, read me a story, read me a story!" a little girl begged, her violet eyes wide under short cropped, tangled black hair. "You promised!"

The house was dark, except for her daughters room, lit by a small lamp with a cheerful shade. Amber laughed quietly at the little girls enthusiasm. "Which one?" she asked indulgently, turning to a shelf of well thumbed picture books and stories. "One with Faerie Pokemon? Or maybe, 'The Courageous Bidoof'."

Her daughter stared at her as though she were ridiculous. "That book is for _kids_," she announced in a superior tone. "I'm _four_."

"Alright, then, not that one," Amber laughed, putting the little girls former favorite back on the shelf under her nightstand. "Maybe...a ghost story?"

Her brave little daughters face went a little paler. "N-no," she said, with dignity. "I'm too old for gh-ghost stories."

"Ohoho, you _are_ are you?" Amber growled, tickling her daughters stomach. "Are you too old for me then? Tired of my Pokemon, huh?" The girl shrieked with delight, writhing to escape her fingers, giggling madly. The floorboards creaked, somewhere in the house, and Amber's hands froze. "Uh-oh, better not," she whispered conspiratorially. "Don't want to wake your father. So no ghost stories then. Which one will it be?"

The little girl thought about it, her forehead scrunched up with thought. "A princess story," she said firmly. "A new one!"

Amber sat back on the bed, thinking. "A new Princess story...haven't you read them all?" Her daughters grave eyes didn't so much as blink, waiting for her to start. Amber gave in, smiling a little as she leaned back. "Maybe I do know one...but you have to get under your covers first."

It was amazing to her how quickly children could act, with the promise of a new story. She lay down next to her young daughter, above the covers, closing her eyes as she recalled the story, that her mother had once told her. "Once upon a time, there was a kingdom in the land above Mount Moon. It was a beautiful place, filled with talented artists and powerful Pokemon. Many called it a blessed land, for it prospered in times of peace. The story I'm about to tell you is a true one, or so it is said. It's the story of a brave princess, whose name has long been forgotten. And the mystery that still surrounds her tale."

"Was she pretty?" the little girl asked immediately, her eyes huge. Amber grinned, tweaking her daughters nose.

"She was beautiful," she said, as though confiding a secret. Her daughter 'ooohhed' in appreciation.

"The Princess, whose kingdom was called Halladen, lived in a wonderful time of peace, nearly two decades after the last rebellion. And while she was beautiful, and well loved by her people, even she did not live a perfect life. The Princess was sick, and nobody could help her, though many tried. One day, a man appeared who claimed he could cure her, with an strange woman with no emotions at his side. Nobody knew his true name, at first. But, out of options, the King agreed to let him try."

"Is he the bad guy?"

"Oh yes," Amber said seriously. "He was called doctor camellia, and he was a very wicked man. His medicines could cure anything, but he could only make them from one ingredient. Pokemon Eggs! He cured the Princess with his medicine...but soon after, he was exposed. He tried to take over the kingdom, using an Entei to wreak havoc on the countryside."

"Did she fight him?" Amber's daughter asked in a small, hushed voice, her covers pulled up to her nose. Her mother nodded reassuringly.

"As a matter of fact, she did. She went alone, and fought his armored Fire Pokemon, in an effort to save her people. She almost did, too, before something went wrong. A boy appeared, who worked for the mad doctor, a boy the Princess loved dearly. He took over the battle in her place...but he _lost_. His hometown burned to the ground, and the boy disappeared. The Princess fled the battle, leaving the kingdom in the hands of the madman."

"What happened?" the little girl asked, her eyes riveted to Amber's face. "Did she die?"

"You see, that's the funny thing," she said. "The mystery of that story, is that it's a story with no end. Because less than a year later, the entire kingdom disappeared without a trace. To this day, no one knows what happened, or where the kingdom went. No one knows the fate of the Princess, or the boy who betrayed the country. It's one of the greatest mysteries, because evidence has been found that Halladen did exist, once upon a time. For all we know, the Princess may be fighting still, in a country suspended somewhere between time and space. Somewhere, or sometime."

Her daughter chewed that over. "So it was all because of a _boy_?" she demanded. Amber nodded her assent, gravely, and the little girl made a face. "Boy's are all stupid," she announced. "-and 'specially that one."

She didn't bother denying it, leaning in to kiss her daughter's forehead instead. "Every single one of them," she agreed solemnly, cupping the girls cheeks. "Get some sleep, little one. Tomorrow, we can make poffins for Gengar, okay? No eating them yourself."

"Kay!" her daughter said, yawning hugely. She settled into her light blue comforter, stretching with tiny arms. Amber smiled, and the bed creaked as she slid off the other end.

She had wondered many times, as a child, what had really happened that night. She felt as though she were missing out on the true story, and skipping ahead to the end. But then, wasn't that the best part? Not knowing, not for sure?

There wasn't anyone who could tell that story as it really happened, anyways. Not the Princess, not the mad doctor, and not the boy. It had been over three hundred years since the kingdoms disappearance, after all.

But sometimes, she wondered. Not that it would do her any good.

"Sleep tight," she murmured, and flipped the switch for the lamp, plunging the room into darkness, broken only by the small nightlight plugged into the wall.

~o~

~o~

The skies burned with flames.

He thought of all the things he had done wrong, and despaired. Could a monster really redeem himself? Could he fight evil, when he was so stained himself? Was there even a difference between him and his enemy now? He had thought he was fighting for right. For truth, and justice, but he had been wrong.

He'd been fighting for a monster this entire time, and just hadn't seen it.

In a burst of clarity, Indigo despaired. He wished that she hadn't been the princess, that neither of them had been caught up in this mess. They could have lived a simple, happy, uncomplicated life, far from death and war and curses. They could have lived in a country cottage, surrounded by flowers and soft breezes. He could have been Indigo, and she could have been Riza. The Nightwalker and the Princess would have been nothing more than a bad dream.

Just the two of them. That was what he had really been fighting for. Not kingdoms, and good, or even power. All he had been fighting for was her.

And now he might have lost her forever.

"Indigo?" he turned so quickly he was barely aware of the motion, and saw her. She was panting, her dress torn in several places, and covered with soot and dirt. There was blood in her hair, and dirt coating his legs. Her fiery violet eyes were flashing.

She looked beautiful.

"Riza," he gasped, hugging her close like he would never let go as the city burned around them. "Oh, _Riza_. I thought…"

"Don't worry about that," she demanded, her voice a little off as she panted for breath. "Indigo, we have to get out of here."

He nodded in agreement, and took her hand, and it was as though the world around them did not matter.

And then pain exploded in his side, and Indigo's world stopped. He looked uncomprehendingly at the blood streaming from his stomach, and the glint of silver. It was only after he turned, stunned, to meet her violet eyes that he realized what had happened.

The girl who was impersonating Riza twisted the blade, her disguise nearly perfect. Lights flashed in front of his eyes, and he fell, the pain in his heart overwhelming him.

He saw a boot rest in front of his face, and struggled to look up, even though he knew what he would see. Black and black, the mans eyes and hair matched perfectly, a shocking contrast to his skin. The face of the man who had started it all. A cruel smirk played on his lips.

"Who are you?" Indigo demanded as the strength ebbed from his body. He clutched at his wound, trying to stop the bleeding. But he had to know the truth. He deserved it, after everything.

"Save your words," the man advised, his black eyes soft. "You don't have much time." He looked at the burning city lovingly, as though the sight filled him with happiness. "Everything has gone according to plan. I win, Indigo."

"No!" Indigo shouted, despairing as he realized the extent of his plan. "You can't do this! What about the people? Do they deserve a monster for a king?!"

Doctor Camellia looked at him with surprise. And then he laughed. "You're an idiot," he chastised. "They already _do._ Now I suppose I should save you. You have been very useful after all. I wouldn't have been able to do this without your help, Indigo."

"Did," Indigo whispered, shame and remembered horror filling his heart. "They _did_ have a monster for a king."

Doctor Camellia's smile faded. "What are you talking about?"

"The king is dead. Queen Analynn as well."

"_What?_" Doctor Camellia hissed, his black eyes somehow going darker. "But how…" he trailed off, and his flat gaze fell on Indigo, sending a shiver of fear down his spine. "You. You did this."

Indigo smiled half heartedly. "I'm afraid so."

With a snarl of frustration man struck his side, directly over the knife wound. Indigo cried out involuntarily.

"Do you know what you've done? Foolish boy, you've ruined everything!" he shouted, drawing back his hand as though to hit him. The hand glowed with firelight.

Slowly, the rage in the mans eyes dimmed. He dropped his hand, and his features settled into an impassive mask once again. "I suppose it doesn't matter. You won't survive that wound without my help…not even Kaya could save your life. The country will hate you for your crimes. You will die, an unloved monster. Killing you quickly would be a mercy. And Indigo? I must thank you for bringing me Entei. It will be valuable."

And then he started to walk away. After everything that had happened, he was just going to walk away. Indigo gritted his teeth, and grabbed for the hem of the mans cloak. "Your…_name_…" he demanded hotly. "Tell me." He could feel the life ebbing out of him, but he almost didn't care. He deserved it.

"My name is Tero," the raven haired man said simply, watching Indigo's reaction. His heart thudded erratically as he realized what that name meant. His mind shut down blankly, and he continued. "Tero of the Burning Shadows. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Indigo. Now you can die in peace. Cyndaquil!"

A small form darted from the embers of the old town hall and shot a burst of flame at Indigo's outstretched hand. He pulled back sharply and let go of Tero's cloak, barely avoiding the red fire. The movement pulled sharply at his side. He grabbed his wound with a cry, wincing at the pain. His scarlet coated hand started to blur as his vision faded.

"Oh Riza," he whispered brokenly. "I didn't mean it. It wasn't supposed to end like _this_. I'm…so sorry…"

In his dying moments he saw the one thing he most wanted to see. It was _her, _with her brilliant golden hair waving behind her back as she ran towards him. And despite the knowledge that it couldn't be real, he clung to it until his failing vision faded to black

~o~

"Grandma?" a young boy whispered, "Grandma, why are the Pokemon making fires?"

"Hush child!" Kaya whispered fiercely. "Just sit still and be quiet!"

"But Grandma! Somebody has to stop them! If they don't stop then Mommy will…Mommy will…" the boy started sobbing, tears running down his chubby, soot stained face.

"Your mother will be just fine William," the old woman sighed. Her face was lined beyond her years, her pink hair faded and worn. Her daughter _would_ be fine, thanks to the monster. Now they had only to survive the fire.

"Charizard, Blast Burn!" In a heartbeat the city went dead silent.

"William get down NOW!" Kaya shouted, shoving the boys head into the ground. A huge flash of light flooded the room and a massive explosion tore through a home across the street leaving nothing behind. Items fell from the rafters as the ground shook from the attack.

"He's taking revenge on the whole city!" Kaya whispered, almost to herself. He was the rightful king, and he was revenging himself on the people who rejected him as a child. The people who had caused the death of his sister.

"Please, open the door Kaya!" a voice shouted amidst the chaos, surprising her. She had thought everyone would have fled by now. "I need help!"

But that voice. It could not be so. The old woman struggled to her feet and practically fell against the door. "Princess! Why are you here you fool, get to safety!"

"I can't." Riza whispered, her voice barely discernible over the sounds of the burning town. "I can't just leave him. Kaya, you have to help me."

Several latches began clicking open until the old woman was able to throw open the door. She stared at the boy held in the Princesses deceptively fragile arms.

"Kaya, please," Riza begged, her violet eyes filled with tears.

"Get him inside. I'll see what I can do for the traitor!" she snapped, taking in the situation with a single glance. "William, open the cot."

William wiped the tears from his face with his small fist, recognizing his grandmothers tone. "Yes Grandma!"

"Now your highness, lay the boy right there. And be careful about it, or he'll lose even more blood. William, go wait in your room for a while."

"Y-yes. Of course" Riza lay Indigo down gently on the stained cot. She brushed some dirt from his cheek, her gaze agonized. He was so pale.

Kaya looked at him too. Lean, not overly muscled, with dark blue hair. He had a striking resemblance to his father. He could have been Devin's clone if it weren't for those eyes. _Her_ eyes. They eyes of an infamous traitor, a girl who once destroyed the kingdom.

She was one of the last who remembered Indigo's birthright. He was the son of the most infamous traitor in Halladen. It seemed he had lived up to his mothers legacy.

Kaya sighed, her faded pink hair falling around her face. She was getting far too old for this. "He can't be saved. He's already lost too much blood. It would take a miracle to save his life now."

Riza's went as pale as death. "No," she denied softly. "No, that can't be…you can still save him, he isn't that badly hurt!"

"He's lost too much blood. It's a miracle he's _still_ breathing," Kaya snapped, her patience going. "And even if he could be saved, he's a traitor! He did this, he's at fault for everything!"

"Indigo never meant for this," Riza defended, deadly calm. "I don't care what you have to do. Just save him. I have to know what happened. If he really…if he really had something to do with my parents deaths. He _isn't _a monster."

"Analynn is dead?" Kaya said softly, pain coloring her aged voice. Riza was silent, letting her tears speak for themselves. Kaya sighed once more, and pulled a ball with a knob out from her pocket. She began unscrewing the top methodically.

"What is that?" Riza asked quietly, her forehead scrunching up. "That can't…you can't be serious, Kaya!"

"I'm serious," Kaya deadpanned, steeling herself. "This is the Ninetales that cursed your family. And the demon who nearly tore apart the kingdom, all those years ago."

"But…" Riza gaped, struggling for words. It was a drastic move, even she had to admit it. "The last time that Pokemon was free, it _destroyed an army."_

"What it did was long in the past. If it were not for this Pokemon, many more people would have died that day. Now tell me princess, do you really want him to live? No matter what?"

Uncertainty battled in the girls eyes. She took a deep breath, and looked the old woman squarely. "Do it then. Curse Indigo. But please just promise me that he'll be alright?"

Kaya was silent for a long moment. "You truly care for the boy. Even after what he's done," she said. It was not a question.

Riza's golden hair fell around her face as she slumped. "Yes," she whispered, as though it was an admission of guilt. The old woman's eyes softened for a moment and she smiled.

"Then there's no help for it. Ninetales, enter!"

A flash of light burst from the ancient poke ball. When it faded, a new presence was in the room. Creamy tails whipped through the air, and the fox raised her head. Her eyes were cold and red, with no pupils. She regarded the old woman, taking in her new appearance.

"Its been quite a while hasn't it Ninetales? Nearly twenty years now." Kaya was silent for a moment, remembering. She took a deep breath, and pointed an accusing finger at the boy on the cot. "This boy forged a pact with a Legendary, and used it to destroy half the kingdom. He is accused of murdering the king and queen. He abandoned his partners, and brought destruction to this town, that loved and accepted him when no one else would. He is a monster. I ask that you preserve his life."

"These are quite heavy charges," an echoing feminine voice mused. The Ninetails mouth never moved, her telepathy conveying her words. She turned her glowing eyes to Indigo and barked a cruel laugh. "You want me to save him? How laughable. This boy abandoned his Pokemon you say…his beloved partners. He deserves nothing but death!" Her tails whipped in a frenzy as the fox snarled with fury.

"Ninetales!" The old woman wrapped restraining arms around her partner. "You'll just injure him further!" She began coughing heavily and staggered backwards, wheezing for breath in the hazy air.

Her Pokemon stopped, looking disdainfully at her aging master. "Humans are such fragile creatures. If you truly want me to save him….. he will have to become something else. He can't live any longer in this form."

" No! You can't!" Riza shouted, real panic in her eyes. "How will he atone for his crimes if he's not even human anymore! I won't be able to seem again, and I-"

Ninetails laughed. "You truly think it to be a horrible fate, to not be human? I would have thought you would be used to the idea." Riza flinched, staring down with a haunted expression. The Ninetales regarded her with deep crimson eyes.

"The boy will atone for his crimes. Death would be too merciful…he will live, but not here. I will send him far away…perhaps to another time. He will live until he understands what caring means, and until he can understand true strength. That will be the boys curse. Until he discovers these things, he can never return. What form he takes will depend on his own soul, for everyone's soul is unique."

"Another time even…Ninetales, can you really pull something like that off?" Kaya whispered.

The beautiful fox sighed. "I am very old my friend. Older than this land even. My kind only get stronger with age. It is well within my abilities to do this."

She reared up on her hind legs, and her crimson eyes glowed like stars. "Now go, human! You will not be able to return to this time and set things right until you learn the meaning of caring and true strength! Fail in this and you will be cursed forever!"

Indigo's form began to glow and he cried out once before vanishing. The Ninetales fell down to all fours, her tails waving slightly in the smoky air.

"The boy is kind, but his journey will be long. Who can say if he will be able to return to set things right? Certainly not me."

**~o~**

**A/N **I never meant to write this. Honestly. It just happened. And I have no idea where I'm going from here. =_= I guess I'll find out later. Until then, bear with me, cause this is gonna be rough. Also, I apologize for the inverted premise. ;^^

I did write the first section after this chapter was already up, to help with explaining the beginning. Just so you know. So that section will flow a little better, and have similar writing quality to some of the later chapters. I hope it doesn't stand out too much, and helps with the flow of the first chapter. Thanks for reading, and bear with me!

Loved it, hated it, barely got through it, please let me know. I would appreciate any and all feedback, and I promise to make this story a decent one. Drop me a review and we'll both find out where this is going!


	2. Songs of the Future

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokemon. But soon...fufufufu...8D**

**~o~ **

_Where am I? _

A Pidgey called through the sun dappled leaves. Indigo opened his eyes. He was sprawled across a bed of moss, staring into a sky broken by aspen branches. It smelled of a recent summer rain. The world looked different, in a way he couldn't explain. The same Pidgey called again, something about a Caterpie nest to the south.

Why could he understand the Pidgey?

He struggled to remember what events had brought him to this serene forest. The last thing he remembered had been…

"Riza!" He shouted aloud, sitting up with a start. Where was he? What had happened to the town? He looked towards the horizon and saw a familiar mountain range. The same mountain range that could be seen from Karraket.

_He_ hadn't moved. But that wasn't possible.

He paused and looked around again. The town was gone, replaced by a vast, sunny forest. Long grass swayed slightly in the breeze, bring the scent of flowers with it. He didn't remember a forest like this existing in Halladen.

The mountain range had to be a coincidence. It probably just looked similar. That was the only explanation that made sense. So then…

_Where was he?_ He thought in bewilderment. He stopped as something else occurred to him.

The air wasn't just cleaner, it was sharper almost. Like he could smell so much more then he used to. He would chalk it up to mountain air, but that wasn't all. The colors…everything living had a faint bluish tinge, the Pokemon standing out like beacons to his new senses. He looked down at his hands. Or rather, where his hands _should_ have been.

Paws covered in black glove-like fur. A steel spike protruding from the back. That same bluish tinge stood out like fire surrounding his paws and arms. He _knew _this Pokemon…..

Pokemon?

The world spun and everything went black once more.

~o~

He woke up for the second time with a start, his thoughts instantly falling into place, even as his better judgment screamed that he must be wrong.

There was only one possible explanation that made sense. He had been cursed by the White Nightmare, the ancient Ninetales that had been captured shortly after his birth. It had terrorized the country side, turning nearly fifty people it had deemed "unworthy" into Pokemon before being captured by the proud healer, Kaya.

Kaya had sworn never to release the beautiful fox. But it seemed she had made an exception to punish the traitor who had practically destroyed a kingdom. And on top of that, he had no idea where he was, or what had happened to Riza.

His life might as well be over.

A Spearow pecked his head. "Food?" It quipped, cocking its head slightly.

"I am not food," Indigo growled, trying to stand. He lost his balance trying to get on his feet. He staggered against a tree, growling.

"Not food?" The Spearow chirped in disappointment. It straightened fiercely, puffing out its ragged feathers. "Tell where food is!"

"I don't know!" Indigo shouted, falling over again. His new legs had issues with the idea of _standing_. He looked down at the Spearow with surprise when it didn't retort, only then noticing how ridiculously thin it was.

He paused. "I can help you find food…..if you tell me where I am." He might still be able to save Halladen, despite his new body. It might even _help_. He just had to get to Karraket, and find Riza.

Riza. What would she think of him, like this? Especially after he'd…no, he told himself firmly. Worry about one thing at a time. First he would find Tero, and make him pay. He couldn't face her until he'd at least done that.

The small Pokemon glared at him distrustfully, breaking into his thoughts. "Help find food? Promise?"

"I promise," Indigo swore solemnly, humoring the baby. Maybe it could help him.

"You here!" The Spearow hopped around gleefully, "Find food now!"

"You didn't tell me anything!" Indigo snapped. He sighed. This was pointless. He tried standing again, balancing on his toes. That seemed to work better than going flat footed. He straightened, feeling a new sense of balance. He had to find a way to get his body back. He had to know how he had gotten here, and how he could return.

A haze of swirling pink and red surrounded him in a tornado of color, with lights that flashed like memories. He lashed out in alarm, but the colors didn't fade. Voices filtered through the haze, and he realized abruptly realized that this was his answer.

_Abandoned his partners_….._Deserves nothing but death!….Have to become something else_…..He saw his princesses tears, the torn face of the healer, the disdainful red eyes of an ancient fox…..a strange echoing voice, issued from a closed mouth…. "_He will live until he understands what caring means….and until he can understand true strength. That will be the boys curse." _

Indigo fell to his knees, the psychic energy draining the strength from his body. When he looked up again, he was back in the forest, the mental message delivered. What he had just seen must have been the last moments of his old life, before he was cursed. It seemed as though the fox had a sense of honor, showing him the conditions of his curse when it could have easily let him figure it out on his own.

He knew what he had to do now. The thought cheered him for a brief moment before he recalled the exact wording of the curse.

Understand caring strength. He already knew what those were. He hit the ground with a barely suppressed growl, feral and instinctive. It was like being asked to understand what two plus two was when you clearly knew the answer was four. Worse, lives depended on him figuring out the right answer. Of course this wouldn't be so easy.

"Find food now?" The small Spearow asked hopefully, apparently unaware of what had just taken place.

"No! No food you stupid bird, there is no food!" Indigo snapped. The Pokemon wilted, looking lost. Indigo looked at the small bird and sighed irritably. "You're just a baby aren't you? What happened to your family?"

"Promised," it said, ignoring his words. The normally fierce bird looked on the verge of tears. It was undersized for a Spearow, bedraggled and thin.

"Fine then." Indigo growled. "Come with me. But no more saying 'food', understand?" He strode off without waiting for an answer balanced on his toes, his feet being nearly useless for the task. The baby Spearow hopped behind him happily, having gotten over its sadness a little too quickly.

Understanding strength….and caring. Strength was another word for power, and power was the means to accomplish any task, like being the stronger opponent in a battle. Caring was honestly liking and wanting to protect something, and the ability to love. He knew that, but the curse required more to be broken. What did it really need from him?

"Food?" The Spearow asked, pecking at dead leaves on the forest floor.

"Not food," Indigo replied absently, barely even noticing the repetition of the word through his thoughts. He had to become caring then? He had to become strong? Was what he was not enough?

He could start by getting this pitiful Pokemon something to eat. He closed his eyes, obeying some ancient instinct, and the world was shocked into inverted colors, living things standing out like fire. He could _see_ things he had never seen before, like the whispering of the air and the faint heartbeat of the trees.

He was so startled he almost opened his eyes, but three glowing places caught his attention. He tentatively focused on one, and the image sprang into focus, surprising him. What a strange ability. Now he almost knew how Riza felt all the time.

A mass of blue energy in a nearby canyon….that one was a waterfall basin, teeming with Magikarp. Another, off to the west. A wild herd of Ponyta and Rapidash. And one about a hundred meters left of their position…a field of sunflowers, with hundreds of bird Pokemon gathering to eat the seeds.

Perfect.

He opened his eyes, staggering somewhat as his vision returned to normal proportions. "Hey, you," He called. The Spearow looked up from the twig it had been chewing, "Come with me." He started walking in the direction of the field. Before long they had reached the sunny clearing. Indigo pointed. "Food," he said. The Spearow cocked its head in confusion.

"Flowers," it insisted.

"Look…." He snapped off one of the giant sunflowers heads and held it out to the small bird. "Eat the seeds…see, those things?" The Spearow pecked at the flower experimentally, prizing one of the seeds loose. It swallowed the seed and its eyes widened. "Food!" it exclaimed, prizing more seeds free with a vengeance.

"Hey, be careful! You'll choke!" The bird paid him no mind, attacking the flower viciously. Indigo smiled ruefully. "A bird who didn't recognize seeds? Your parents should be ashamed of themselves."

He sighed when he received no answer, already forgotten by the baby. He had helped the Spearow, but he didn't feel any differently. He was no closer to understanding his quest.

An explosion tore through the air, so close it made his hyper sensitive ears scream. Indigo fell to his knees, his paws clamped tightly over his ears until the sound faded into the mountain air. Bird Pokemon took off screeching, abandoning their meals.

Indigo concentrated like before, wincing as he forced himself to focus. Just beyond the edge of the little sunflower field, two shimmering figures faced each other, wreathed in shifting blue light. People?

"Stay here little one. And don't let anyone take your food, alright?" Indigo ordered absently, wondering at his casual use of the word 'people'. Like he wasn't one of them anymore.

The small bird puffed out its chest feathers in determination. "No take food!" it cried. Indigo snorted. The helpless baby bird was gone, replaced by a determined little fighter. Spearows. But it wasn't his problem anymore.

He concentrated strength in his legs and leaped into the air. He soared into the air, far higher than he had expected, before landing in the middle of the field. He almost stumbled, surprised at the distance he had covered.

_Cool. _He was much stronger than he had been as a human. There were some perks to this after all. He jumped again, more confidently, and landed just beyond the edge of the sunflowers. Two Pokemon trainers were having a battle.

"Charmeleon, use Metal Claw!"

"Dragonair, use Twister!" The Charmeleon slashed at the pale blue Dragonair with glowing claws, but the force of Twister knocked it to the ground. "Charmeleon!" A trainer with a green baseball cap called out. He gritted his teeth. "Use Flamethrower now!" The reptilian Pokemon leapt to its feet, firing a burst of red flame at the Dragonair from gaping jaws.

"Dodge, and use Ice Beam!" The second trainer ordered confidently. The Dragonair twisted its serpentine body to avoid the flame and shot a thin stream of intense cold that hit the Charmeleon directly. It flew back and landed on the ground, beaten.

"Charmeleon!" The trainer called, running to his fallen partner. "Take a long rest." He pulled out a Poke Ball and the Pokemon disappeared in a flash of red light. "You're as strong as ever Casey."

"I try." Casey replied with a grin. "Return, Dragonair!"

Indigo walked forward suddenly, catching the two trainer's attention. "Tell me, where is this place?" He barked.

The trainers stared, shocked.

"I-is that what I think it is?"

"In the Kanto region? Do you know how big this is?"

"And it can talk!"

"With a partner like that, I could be a Pokemon Master no problem!"

The two trainers looked at each other, and nodded. "Whoever catches it first-" Casey started.

"-gets it!" the other finished with a grin. He reached for a new Poke ball.

"Go, Rhyhorn!"

"Fight Dragonair!"

Indigo growled under his breath. What a waste of time. A new thought occurred to him, making him pause.

If he found a strong trainer, he could become more powerful. Powerful enough to break the curse? He grinned. Then he barked out a laugh. "Come humans, and taste my power!" He proclaimed dramatically, breaking into a run towards his two opponents. He danced around the Dragonair, and landed on the Rhyhorn's stony back, his new muscles easily obeying his orders. It was surprisingly easy after learning how to stand.

"Rhyhorn, roll on your back!" The trainer called, oblivious to Indigo's wonder, and the rocky Pokemon started to tilt. Indigo jumped into the air, landing behind the craggy Pokemon. He turned, dodging a Wrap attack from the sinewy Dragonair. He turned to counter attack…..

Wait. What moves could a Lucario use again?

"Dragonair, use Dragon Rage!"

Indigo skipped to the side, completely caught off guard. The flames caught his left arm and the tip of his tail, scorching his fur. Despite that, it wasn't as bad as he had expected. Real fire was much worse than this watered down attack.

He remembered Tero and shuddered.

"Hey! You hit my Rhyhorn with that attack!"

"It's not my fault your Pokemon isn't smart enough to move on its own."

"Why you….."

Indigo rolled back on his toes, taking advantage of their fighting to think. Right now he was a Fighting type….also a Steel type, he thought. Should he just hit them and hope it did something?

"You're kidding right? Rhyhorn can't even learn Quick Attack! What Pokemon can't learn something that basic? It's just a mindless lump of rock. Now my Dragonair on the other hand…"

"Your Dragonair might be pretty, but that's all it's good for. It couldn't do any _real _damage."

"What does that say about your Charmeleon then?"

Quick Attack?

Indigo shrugged. It was worth a shot. All he had to do was…Indigo's mind drew a blank. He groaned and hit his forehead with the palm of his hand, disgusted with his incompetence. It was so much easier when you could just order your own Pokemon to attack.

But standing around wasn't going to accomplish anything. He backed up a few steps experimentally, then broke into a run towards the distracted Dragonair, moving as fast as his new form would allow. He ran low to the ground, trying to focus on making something, _anything_, happen.

He felt ridiculous.

He had no sooner completed the thought when he felt his legs begin to move almost on their own as the world blurred around him. He hit the Dragonair when he'd reached his top speed. It flew backwards with a cry, landing hard on the dirt.

Indigo grinned, proud of himself. That hadn't been so bad. He landed easily on the ground in a crouch, turning to his next opponent.

"Dragonair!" Casey ran to his fallen Pokemon, "Are you alright?"

"Haha, see? It fainted with a single attack! Talk about weak."

"I'd like to see you do better Todd! Dragonair has been fighting all day without a break!" He slumped. "I need to get to the Pokemon Center." He pointed at Indigo. "Don't you dare get captured until I get back here, understand? Return, Dragonair." The injured Pokemon disappeared in a flash of red.

Indigo blinked. "Is that a new model of Poke ball?" He asked, noticing the red and white design for the first time.

"A new model? What do you mean? This is a regular Poke ball; it's been around for fifty years."

"Fifty….years?" Indigo repeated in shock. "Are you certain?

Casey looked a little uncomfortable. "Uh, yeah, give or take a little."

Fifty years. The advanced Poke ball had been around for _fifty years_. It couldn't be! Had he been displaced in _time_ as well?

He grabbed the trainer named Casey by the front of the shirt and lifted him into the air with his enhanced strength. "Tell me, what do you know about the kingdom of Halladen?"

"I-I don't…"

"Tell me!" He snarled, raising him higher.

"I don't know anything!"

"Did you say Halladen?" Todd whispered. "Do you mean the Kingdom of Colors?"

Indigo widened his eyes and dropped the trainer. "You have heard of it then?"

"Yeah, I've heard of it. It was supposed to be home to ancient Pokemon, who were wicked strong. From what I heard, it was a prosperous land in the mountain range just above Mount Moon. It was famous for its works of art, and its beautifully dyed tapestries. I know it from a children's story…my mom read it to me when I was a kid," Todd babbled, blanching from Indigo's suddenly intense look.

"Tell me more," Indigo commanded, his tone allowing no argument. The trainer gulped and continued.

"Well, the story started out with a time of peace and prosperity. But then the Princess of this land got sick, and nothing could cure her. They say a doctor appeared one day who claimed to be able to treat her. The Princess soon recovered, but then a boy from a nearby town found out the cure for her sickness was _Pokemon eggs. _He told the Princess and soon the whole country knew…." Todd shuddered before continuing.

"The doctor was banished, and the Princesses illness began progressing again. The boy apparently became desperate. He summoned the Legendary Pokemon Entei to help, and made a bargain with it. They say he betrayed the King and Queen to the beast and his country too, all in return for the life of his Princess."

Indigo glared at the ground, hating just how close the story came to the truth. That proved that he was in a different time, if this stranger knew so much. For him, the story was his life.

"How far is Halladen from here?" He asked, seeing that he would get no more out of the boy. He had to know more. How far in the future was he? What had _happened after he left?_

Todd gulped. "Halladen is just a bedtime story. And anyways, it was supposed to have disappeared over three hundred years ago!"

Three hundred years ago?

Indigo let out a snarl that was more creature than human. He slammed his palm into the nearby Rhyhorn, sending it crashing through a nearby tree, releasing the violent storm of feelings swirling inside him. The grey Pokemon didn't stand back up.

"Force Palm," Todd whispered reverently. "Ah, Rhyhorn!" He ran over to his fallen Pokemon.

His country and home, gone. And it was all his fault.

He opened his crimson eyes, glaring at the two frightened trainers. He had to get back. Maybe there was still a chance. And for that…

"Go humans, and tell your people that I am here. I will defeat any trainer who dares to oppose me, and only the strongest will be able to capture me!" He snapped. He looked down, his eyes shadowed with pain and grief, before gritting his teeth. He leapt again with Aura enhanced strength, distancing himself from the two boys eyes as quickly as his body would allow.

Casey and Todd stared at each other before running back to Pewter City to spread the news of the Lucario in the Kanto region.

~o~

**A/N **Yeah yeah, I wrote another one. You guys rock btw. This is rapidly turning into a multichapter fic, and it will probably be the longest I've ever written. But hey, that depends on me _actually writing,_ so we'll see. Thank you for your support, and Happy Thanksgiving everyone!


	3. Life's Small Ironies

**DISCLAIMER: Pokemon? Yeah, I own it. Like, five versions! No I don't own the franchise. Sorry.**

**~o~**

"Beedrill, use Twin Needle!" A pale red headed boy shouted from the sidelines. Indigo flipped into the air to avoid the dancing drills of the Bug type, firing a Dark Pulse attack from his palms when he was directly above the Pokemon. It was knocked to the ground, sending up a small cloud of dust.

"Beedrill" The rookie trainer ran to his Pokemon. Indigo landed with all the grace of a gymnast, not even winded after taking out all three of the trainers Pokemon.

A Bulbasaur, Beedrill, and a Geodude. Was that truly the best this challenger had to offer? Then again, it was rare to see anything too strong in this area. He had considered moving to a different area in this place called Kanto…but he already had a reputation here, and many challengers came. If he waited long enough someone strong was bound to show up.

But still. He had been here for a full year now, and no one had been able to capture him. To make things worse, lately no one had even been able to provide a challenge.

He shook his head to clear it of such thoughts. He just had to trust that someone would come who could teach him to be stronger. Someone who could help him return to Halladen….and Riza. Nothing else mattered.

He would wait a hundred years if that was what it took.

"Next," He ordered with flashing eyes, settling into a battle position. The girl who came with the beaten trainer gulped before walking onto the field.

"Go, Raichu!" She said, releasing the orange Electric type from its Poke ball. Indigo barely paused, stepping forward for another battle.

He _would_ return!

~o~

Pewter City was just waking up for the morning, the dusky grey sky lightening to pastel blue with the coming of the sun. Various Rock Pokemon rumbled, cracking open their stony eyes and shaking off the nights dew. The peace of the morning was soothed by the sounds of Pidgey and Pidgeotto greeting the new day. The silence was also broken by a commotion at the local Pokemon Center.

"Please Nurse Joy, heal my Pikachu!"

"My Butterfree got hurt!"

"Nurse Joy, my Graveller lost consciousness…."

The pink haired woman bent over the injured Pokemon, "Please, bring them right this way!" Other nurses joined her, wheeling the injured Pokemon on exam tables to be treated.

"Just what is going on?" A blonde man said in a stunned tone from the glass front doors. The scene was chaotic, with nearly twenty Pokemon trainers bringing in their injured Pokemon. The man tapped a young trainer on the shoulder. He held out a yellow rose. "Excuse me miss, but can you tell me what happened here?"

The girl wiped a few tears off her cheek and took the lovely bloom. "Everyone has been trying to catch a strong Pokemon, but it's been wiping out every rookie in Pewter. It beat my Wigglytuff like it was nothing…" She sniffed, remembering her disastrous match.

The man smiled and rand a hand through his golden hair, "A strong Pokemon you say? I'd be willing to bet I could catch it. Just what did you say this Pokemon was?"

"It's a Lucario," The girl explained, "They say it can talk, but I didn't hear it. Any trainer who catches it will be recognized as the very best around here. All of the best locals have been beaten pretty badly."

"A talking Lucario? Are you sure?" The man blinked. "That is interesting." He smiled. A mystery and a challenge. It was just what he needed. Anything to ease his boredom.

"Tell me miss, are any trainers going to be going after this Lucario soon?"

She nodded, her brown pigtails bobbing, "There's a group of six leaving this afternoon. They're planning on taking turns until one of them catches it. They're sitting over in that corner." She pointed, indicating a small group chatting near the side of the huge Pokemon center. A boy with spiky hair and an arrogant smile seemed to be the leader; he was resting his hand on the head of a massive Fearow. A Flareon lounged next to his leg, staring with disinterest at the world around it.

"Who is that black haired boy?" The blonde man asked, gesturing to the trainer. The girl blushed and smiled. "Oh, that's Terry. He's the strongest trainer here, but he's new to town so he hasn't tried to catch the Lucario yet. I'm sure he'll be able to though." She sighed, holding the rose to her chest. "He's so dreamy."

The man blinked. "Miss, there are seven trainers in that group. See?" he pointed to a black haired girl with deep purple eyes sitting off to the side and holding her knees to her chest. No one was talking to her.

"Oh that? That's just Violet." The girl said dismissively, brushing her hair back. "She never talks to anyone, and she's been completely withdrawn since she moved here. No one knows what her deal is."

"I see…" The man said thoughtfully, regarding the silent teen. "Thank you for your help miss. I'll be going now." He walked out of the Pokemon Center, one hand in his jacket pocket.

He would follow the group, he decided. They would lead him to the Lucario. He would see for himself how skilled it was, and if it proved itself worthy, he would capture it. And it wouldn't hurt if the young trainers weakened his target for him. He smiled. Yes, this Pokemon would be the perfect, and final, addition to his team. The team that would take the world by storm, and crush the legendary Elite Four. Nothing could stop him now.

Karo breathed deep, closing his eyes against the sun. It really was a beautiful day.

~o~

Indigo couldn't remember the last time he had been pushed this far.

"Flamethrower, Pyre!" Terry ordered, and his small Pokemon narrowed her eyes.

Indigo skipped to the side of the deadly burst of flames, barely avoiding the scorching attack. The small Flareon responsible for the inferno tensed, waiting for new orders. The battlefield was covered in burns, and deep gouges had been slashed out of the hard earth. It was a miracle the forest hadn't caught fire.

Five trainers had tried their luck before this one. Five trainers he had beaten mercilessly. He was not holding back, and yet this trainer, with spiky black hair and flashing eyes, was wearing him down, attack by attack, Pokemon after Pokemon.

Was he the one?

"Now Pyre, use Fire Blast!" Terry yelled. The Flareon began gathering red hot flames in its mouth. Indigo's eyes widened, and he gathered all his strength into his palms for a Dark Pulse. He fired at the exact moment the burning flames ripped from the small Flareon.

The two attacks exploded in red, black and violet with a roar that blocked out all other sounds. Indigo held an arm up to protect his eyes from debris. The clearing was filled with smoke and flying sparks. He grimaced and activated his Aura vision, trying to see through the chaos. A blue form was jumping towards him through the smoke…there!

The Flareon burst through the black air, firing a Flamethrower at the place Indigo had been in seconds before. It widened its dark eyes and turned, but it was too late. A Force Palm hit it from the side, sending it flying to land back at its trainer's feet.

Indigo panted heavily, his arms hanging limply by his side. The smoke cleared slowly, revealing the shocked faces of Terry and his entourage.

Indigo straightened with a smirk. So he was not the one after all.

~o~

Karo smiled in exultation from the shadows, his eyes triumphant. The Lucario was untrained, but it was powerful. It threw every bit of energy and power it had into every fight, no matter the opponent, with an icy determination that exceeded everything he had ever seen before.

It had a reason for fighting. There was no doubt about it.

It was everything he had dreamed of in a partner. Now all he had to do was show the Lucario how strong _he_ could be.

Karo started to stand, but paused when another trainer began to walk forward. The black haired girl from before was moving to face the Lucario. The others didn't notice her until she was already in place.

Her determined eyes flashed with violet fire, a far cry from the empty eyes of the girl he had seen before.

The six other trainers were suddenly in an uproar at her advance, yelling at the girl to return to the sidelines. She blanched, but stood her ground. She reached into her pack for a Poke ball.

A seventh challenger? Karo smiled. It seemed the show wasn't over quite yet. And he could wait for one more challenger to lose to his Lucario.

After all, it was only a matter of time.

~o~

Another one?

Indigo groaned. They never seemed to give up. But perhaps that was admirable. He could handle one more today. He studied his new opponent, his sharp crimson eyes missing nothing.

The girl's dark hair was messy, and her cheek was smudged. She stood hunched, as though unused to being the center of attention, and he instantly saw that she was shy, almost painfully so.

And yet there was something in her eyes…a determination that reminded him strongly of his Princess.

He growled, lowering his center of gravity in anticipation of an attack.

The girl bit her lip and reached into her pack, withdrawing an unusual sphere. She threw it forward, directly towards him, instead of releasing a Pokemon onto the field.

"Go, Master Ball!"

~o~

**A/N **Hahaha, this is fun! I can pull whatever crap I want on this site! XD Anyways, thank you for reading, you lovely internet-eers you!

UPDATE: Ok, so it has recently been brought to my attention that Detect is a dodging move, while it is Protect that creates a barrier type thing. I completely switched these, entirely by accident. DX I'll be going through to fix it, but for now Detect will create a bubble. Sorry for the mix up folks!


	4. Bravery or Stupidity?

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned Pokemon there's a good chance Quagsires woud rule the world. So be glad I'm just a fan. :)**

Indigo only realized his mistake after it was too late. The strangely hued sphere wasn't releasing a Pokemon. In fact, it was headed directly towards _him_.

He instinctively moved, darting to the side, but the sphere caught him in the shoulder at the last second. The gemstone hued sphere opened with a snap, spilling explosive light laced with violet fire. Indigo's widening eyes were engulfed with the light as warmth tore up his form. It felt almost like chains as it dragged him down, chains that paralyzed his muscles and bound his very aura.

Others had tried to capture him, but it had been laughably easy to break free from their poke balls. This was different. This was like trying to escape the pull of gravity.

"No!" he growled desperately, dawning realization filling his heart even as his body struggled against it. He couldn't escape this. It simply wasn't possible. With one, final effort, he released every ounce of Aura he had, shouting out in frustration. It exploded into shimmering blue that tried to push back the relentless tide of violet.

But it was already far too late. The blue was swallowed up with pure light, and Indigo saw no more.

~o~

"Go, Master Ball!" The quiet girl shouted, her voice ringing out with clarity and strength that echoed the power of her determination. She closed her eyes and remembered her promise as the sphere rolled off her fingertips, streaking towards the startled Lucario.

It tried to move, jerking out of the way almost automatically, but it had waited too long and was clearly caught off guard. Her Master ball struck it in the shoulder and blinded her with a purple flash of energy.

The sphere fell to the ground alone in the middle of the field. It rolled furiously for a full ten seconds before it stopped with a hollow 'click'! The girl's eyes and mouth went wide with disbelief. Despite the reputation of the Master ball, a part of her had been expecting to fail. She broke into a victorious grin.

The other trainers in the clearing exploded with shouting.

~o~

A Master ball?

Karo stared at the forest clearing with furious orange eyes. His breath hitched in short, angry bursts as he snarled under his breath angrily. That Lucario had been _his_. His and no one else's. He had waited, he had watched, and he had liked what he had seen. The Lucario was more than strong. It was _incredible_. It moved with such grace and determination, as though every battle was more than a fight, as though absolutely everything depended on its victory.

That kind of single minded dedication, that inner fire that burned away all other thoughts…it was beyond anything Karo had ever seen before in his entire life of roaming the Kanto region. For one wild moment, he tried to envision what could possibly motivate such _rage_ in the face of battle. He wondered what the Lucario fought to attain.

He could not imagine. It was unthinkable. And yet, so it was.

A warrior born of fire and grief, an violent storm of iron clad emotions…such a creature had been bound by a Master ball, the ultimate form of slavery. And without a fair fight beforehand.

Just who did this girl think she was? Did she think herself strong enough to tame such a force? Did she imagine herself capable enough to train this warrior to its full potential?

No. She could not be. Karo took in her smudged, pale face, her long, black hair, her violet eyes, full of cautious joy. She was barely more than a girl. And she had dared to capture Lucario as though it was her right.

It couldn't end like this. And so, Karo thought grimly, it _wouldn't_. The game was not yet over. He would obtain Lucario no matter the methods he had to use. The girls life was nothing, not to anyone.

After all, the ambitious man thought to himself, _he_ would have been able to defeat Lucario. With his skill, it would have been child's play.

~o~

Shouts echoed around her as the trainers who had been beaten by Lucario snapped, disbelief and rage filling the air. Terry just stared with frozen eyes at the dark haired teen who had just bested them all.

The girl picked up the Master Ball while the group argued. Actually, it would be more accurate to say that she didn't even hear them. She held the purple sphere to her chest, a hint of a smile on her face. Her thoughts went to a day, two years ago, when she had made a promise to a dying boy. The day when she had lost her very best friend.

"Who are you?" The one called Terry whispered, his voice breaking through the noise to reach Violets ears. She turned with a surprised expression, remembering the presence of others. She stared at the spiky headed ace without a word, her eyes wide and confused.

"I said, _who are you?_" The trainer repeated, a little more angrily. The others fell silent as he spoke. The girl did not answer, and he continued. "You never talk to anyone, you don't try to make friends, and your skills as a trainer are pathetic. Ever since you moved here two years ago, you've always been alone! But you're not that kind of girl, are you?"

The girl still did not answer, biting her lip as though she were confused. Terry snarled quietly with anger. He jabbed his finger at the girl angrily. "Violet," he said, speaking her name for the first time, grudgingly. "The girl I've seen would never have come here. She wouldn't have faced the Lucario. And she would never have dared to capture it. Who are you, really, Violet? Tell me, and I'll let you keep that Lucario."

Violet opened her mouth, but no sound came out of it. She bit her lip and looked away, her eyes conflicted. That was all the answer Terry needed.

"I claim Lucario as my own then!" he shouted as he lunged for the Poke ball in her hands. Violet moved backwards, just out of reach. She collided with a figure exiting the forest cover, _hard_, making her gasp. She spun, facing her new opponent, a blonde man wearing an open white shirt and black pants. His eyes were the strangest shade of orange.

The man smiled, ever so slightly. "You know what I want, girl. Make this easy."

~o~

The dark haired girl took a deep breath. Then, without warning, she spun on one heel, darting for forest cover before he could blink. He grabbed at her shoulder instinctively, accidentally ripping off her pack from one shoulder strap. The girl barely faltered.

Karo's forehead creased slightly. Before she had run, he'd seen fire in her violet eyes. Fire that should not have existed at all in such a girl. This was getting interesting.

Karo shook his head and gritted his teeth, throwing the thought away. "Fine then, you want to do this the hard way?" He threw the Poke ball in his hand in an arc. "Go, Kabutops!" The ancient, scythed Pokemon burst from its ball, bringing the scent of salt water and silt with it. It uncrossed its bladed arms and settled into a battle position, awaiting orders. Its eyes were that of a predator, cold and ruthless.

"A dark haired girl ran into the forest. Find her, and retrieve the purple Poke ball she carries." Karo ordered. He took out a second sphere, a Great ball with the name 'Carter' scratched into it in a childish hand.

"Go, Arcanine!" The giant canine shook out its thick fur when it was released. Karo held out the girls pack. The massive canine sniffed it curiously. "Here is the girls scent. Track her. And don't you dare fail,"

In seconds they were out of sight, the forest growth barely hindering their progress. Karo's normally open face was grim. He was unaccustomed to losing anything. Especially to shy teenage girls.

"Hey, who do you think you are?" Terry grabbed a Poke ball from his waist. "I'll fight you for that Lucario!" Karo turned. He had forgotten about the boy.

"Don't bother. I saw your Pokemon faint not five minutes ago. There's no way they're able to fight again so soon."

The boy smirked. "You don't know my Pokemon. They'll be ready when I tell them to be ready!"

"That may be so," Karo interrupted smoothly, "But why don't you give them some more rest? My Pokemon will be back with Lucario before the sun sets. I'd be glad to battle you then."

Terry thought for a moment, weighing his options. He nodded grimly. "And as soon as you get Lucario, I'll be glad to take it from you."

~o~

Violet ran, panting heavily. The setting sun made the normally playful aspens turn dark and menacing. She began to pass more and more thick oaks and pine as she sprinted deeper into the forest. It would be nightfall soon. Already, she could hear the sounds of pursuit. Something was darting through the trees, barely making any noise at all, while another something bounded across the mossy earth with incredible speed.

They were gaining on her, whoever they were. Quickly. She bit her lip. If only she could get to the waterfall she could hide, but it was still so far away! A shortcut? No, she couldn't risk getting lost. She didn't know this part of the forest.

Her eyes suddenly registered a figure running just to her left, nothing more than a darting shadow with gleaming eyes. Violet let out a cry and turned sharply to the right just as a strange muted grey sickle passed through the area her head had been in moments before. The very ends of her hair were sliced off cleanly.

Her breath caught, even as she gasped for air. That would have taken off her _head _if she hadn't…it had to have been an accident. But even as she thought that, her instincts denied it. Violets heart thudded erratically, and she felt a cold weight settle in her stomach.

She was being hunted.

She forced her burning legs to move faster. She clipped her Master Ball to her belt, next to her one other Pokemon. The two Master Balls bounced side by side, but stayed on tight. Violet bit her lip, and took a deep breath. Everything would be alright. If all else failed, she could fight her way out. After all, she'd seen worse evil than this guy before, right? She focused all her attention on running. She could do this.

A darting form on her left. That was the one with the scythe things. Kabutops? She adjusted her course, squeezing between two ancient cedar trees-a space the Kabutops couldn't possibly fit its scythes through. The light brown Pokemon was forced to stop and readjust its course. It hissed angrily, harsh clicking noises clacking in its mouth.

The large canine Pokemon was coming up on her left as well. She made a sudden right turn and put on a burst of speed. The majestic Pokemon tried to turn but skidded on the loose leaves of the forest floor and fell.

Yes!

Violet ran faster, ignoring her screaming muscles. Just a little further and she could lose them. The roar of the waterfall sounded so close!

She skidded to a stop, her thoughts halting just as fast. She had run into a C shaped clearing, surrounded on all sides by ancient brambles, sporting wicked thorns as long as knives. The only way out was the way she had come. She turned slowly. The Arcanine was standing directly in front of her, its deadly teeth bared in a snarl. The Kabutops dropped down silently from the treetops and landed next to its ferocious teammate. It's cold, dark eyes stared emotionlessly at her.

Had she been…herded there?

The Kabutops stalked forward slowly, its eyes focused on her belt, and her two Master balls. The Arcanine growled and firmly planted itself in the opening, blocking off all hope of escape.

How stupid she had been! Of course she couldn't outrun an Arcanine….or a Kabutops for that matter. "Idiot." She muttered to herself, because she had dared to hope. She unclipped a Master ball from her belt, stroking it fondly with one thumb. Lucario was no doubt injured from fighting Terry and his gang. That much was her fault. She hadn't been able to go herself, and even after she'd arrived she'd been too cowardly to capture Lucario right off the bat. Instead, she had waited, agonizing over whether or not to stand up in front of the others, putting it off until the last possible moment. If she had been strong enough…no, if she hadn't worried so much, Lucario would be just fine.

That meant she was down one Pokemon before she'd begun. She looked down at the Master ball in her hand.

"Sorry, but I can't hand my Pokemon over to you!" Violet shouted, loud in the heavy silence. She rolled onto the balls of her feet and took a deep breath. Nervousness danced in her stomach, and adrenaline shot through her veins. She couldn't win. So she would run.

Now or never.

She grinned, surprising the two powerful Pokemon, and spun on one heel, taking off at a sprint directly towards the distant roar of the waterfall. She closed her eyes right before she hit the wall of thorns and crossed her arms over her face. Brambles tore at her sides and clawed her bare skin. She cried out, but managed to keep up her forward momentum, the springy plants bouncing back to close the path she had made behind her. The Arcanine snarled in fury, and lunged towards the wall of thorns. A large crash echoed behind her and the fiery canine roared in pain.

Fire ripped down Violets arms, hot and agonizing. She bit her lip sharply to keep back a cry of pain. _You can't go back now, just keep going forward_, she chanted to herself, trying to make her voice heard over the pain threatening to send her mind into blackness. The Master ball in her hand quivered slightly, and she put it firmly back on her belt.

Every moment dragged on for an eternity, an endless existence of nothing but pain. She broke through the wall of thorns, gasping for air. Angry howls still tore through the air behind her, and a Flamethrower lit up the darkening sky, swinging side to side. She had been closer than she had thought.

Violet looked down at her arms, and quickly looked back up again. She would worry about that later.

She was in a tiny clearing, in between the wall of thorns and a rock face broken in one spot to form a small pass. Violet looked at it dubiously, but squeezed through. The waterfall roared in front of her. She normally entered the basin from the other side, a much easier path

The falls was surrounded on three sides by cliff and was full of rushing water. A heavy mist hung in the air and filled the entire basin, almost hiding the large waterfall. The pool gathering at the base of the waterfall was unbelievably deep and blue in the center, having been worn away for centuries, and was filled with vibrantly colored Magikarp, who sometimes flitted close enough to the surface to be seen. There was a small line of rocks along the sides of the cliffs that led underneath the roaring water. This was the path that Violet was going to take.

It was a dangerous path, no doubt about it, but Violets steps were sure. She walked carefully on the black water slicked rocks, hopping expertly on the stones that were mostly clear of moss and mud. She braced one hand on the cliff face to help keep her balance. The rushing water would wash away her scent, and the Arcanine wouldn't be able to follow her anyways in this misty paradise. And without the Arcanines' nose, the Kabutops wouldn't know where she was either.

It was the perfect hiding place. And they would never expect her to hide so close to where she lost them.

She passed underneath the waterfall, reaching the middle point of the path. On sunny days this place was filled with rainbows, but the sun was setting fast. She was lucky it was light enough to see her path, or she would have had to go by feel. She shuddered at the thought of traversing the slick path in the dark.

She sat down with a sigh on the sandy rock ledge underneath the falls. It was big, and almost dry, the perfect place to rest. There was a cave too, built into the black cliffs behind her.

It was humid, loud, and dirty beyond belief.

It was Violets' favorite place in the whole world.

She relaxed, slumping down on the ground after reaching her safe haven. She didn't have her pack, and it was three hours walk to get back to Pewter. She was cut in hundreds of places, although only six or seven were deep. Her hands and arms stung, having received the brunt of the thorns. And to top it all off, it was nearly nighttime, and the mountains were well known for being freezing cold after dark. She was losing blood too, since she didn't have any way to staunch her wounds.

But she had protected her new partner. Violet smiled, and unclipped Lucario's Master Ball, setting down her other in the process.

Daniel would be proud of her.

"Thank you," Violet whispered. She smiled, her eyes slipping closed in contentment The Master Ball began shaking violently in her hands.

"Wha-" Violet dropped the rumbling purple sphere in the sand in surprise. "Hey wait!"

The sphere began shaking harder in response to her words, until it opened with a burst of lilac light. The light formed into a figure resting on one knee. The Lucario rose, and stared at its new trainer. Violet remembered talk around Pewter, about how the Lucario would only accept the best as its trainer. She gulped, remembering how she had bested the dignified warrior. It had every right to be angry.

And it was angry; she could see that in its eyes. But something else was there. The Lucario was confused.

"Why did you do that?" The Lucario asked suddenly, breaking their staring contest.

Violet stared at the Lucario.

"HIIEEEEEK!" She shrieked, scooting backwards, "YOU CAN TALK!"

"Of course I can talk, stupid girl!" The Lucario growled, "I thought everyone knew _that_."

"But-you-I-What do you mean you can talk?!" Violet stammered, her mind going blank. Sure, according to rumors the Lucario could talk…along with mind reading, flying, and shooting lasers out of its eyes.

"Wait…." Violet started talking, cutting off whatever the Lucario had been about to say. "So let me get this straight. You can talk."

Lucario nodded, suppressing a growl.

Violet went white. "Can you shoot lasers out of your eyes too?"

"NO!"

"Oh. Good."

Her Lucario hit its head with its palm. "Of all the trainers in the world, I had to get the stupid one."

"Hey!"

"Be quiet. Now, you didn't answer my question, girl."

Violet blinked. The waterfalls dull roar was the only noise in the cove.

"Are you telling me you forgot already?!"

"Uh….I-I'm sorry?" Violet stammered, cringing slightly. The Lucario looked like it wanted to bang its head against a wall. It visibly struggled to gain its composure before sighing. It knelt down on the ground so it was at eye level with her. The confusion from before was back in its oddly human eyes.

"I asked what possessed you to run through thorns to protect me," the warrior explained, as though it was obvious.

Violet hadn't realized it was possible to hear through the walls of a Poke ball. She thought for a long moment, deciding how best to answer. "I wouldn't….I _couldn't, _abandon my partner. I know we hadn't formerly met each other yet, but still…" she stared at the ground.

The Lucario snorted. "What a stupid reason. I wasn't even in danger. I simply would have gotten a better trainer. There was no need for you to do something so brainless."

"Maybe, maybe not," Violet retorted. She pulled her knees up to her chest and jutted out her chin, ignoring the Lucario. She knew it had every right to be upset. It had wanted the best, after all, and had gotten her. It felt like a wall had come up between them. Violet sighed inwardly, wondering if she could ever gain the trust of a proud warrior.

~o~

It seemed this had turned into a contest of silence. The shadows in the small cove lengthened and pooled, creating dark areas where nothing could be seen. Still, neither of them was willing to give in and speak. Indigo sighed. This was ridiculous. A whole year of nothing but training and searching, a whole year of waiting, and this is what he got? He growled under his breath. Violet looked up at the noise before returning to her sulking. How immature.

She hadn't been able to abandon her partner? Her partner would have been glad to go! But still.

He had been faced with a similar choice, once. The memory hit him with surprising intensity. It was one he hadn't thought about since the night Karraket burned. He had been a trainer, and a strong one too, and Tero had known it. He had forced Indigo to choose between his dying love and his partners. In the end, how _could_ he have chosen anything different?

He had had no other choice but to abandon his Pokemon!

The girl shivered slightly, breaking his train of thought. It would be completely dark in a minute or two. It had been difficult to see anything other than aura from the moment he had escaped the strange purple Poke ball, but now it was getting worse. There was no moon tonight.

Did the girl really intend to sleep outdoors in the mountains with no supplies? While injured no less?

"Hey," he asked finally, trying to mask his irritating concern. "Aren't you going to find somewhere dry to sleep?"

She pulled her legs in closer to her chest, finally deigning to speak again. He could barely hear her over the constant rush of the waterfall. "If we leave those Pokemon will find us. Besides, it's pretty dry in the cave. I'll sleep there."

"You're going to sleep in a moldy cave. That's probably full of Zubat."

"Do you have a better idea?"

Indigo growled, but let it drop.

"Are you at least going to tend to your cuts? I smell blood."

"Sure, I'll just go grab some cave moss." The infuriating girl said with a smile in her voice.

"Very funny," Indigo deadpanned, not amused. The girl lapsed into silence. The smell of rusted metal and salt assailed his nose once again, and Indigo had to fight back the urge to sneeze. He hated the scent of blood.

"It's almost time," The girl whispered with sudden excitement, tugging on his arm suddenly, "Look."

"What is it?" Indigo asked, more than a little confused. There was nothing behind the falls but sand and rock. A very exciting view, especially in the dark.

"Just look!" Her arm pointed towards the cave behind the falls, pulsing with aura. He squinted with an exaggerated sigh, before jumping slightly. Dim blue forms scuttled about in the cave, barely visible even with his Aura vision. Now that he knew they were there he could make out the sound of claws scraping on rock.

"What are they?" He asked, trying to stifle the curiosity in his voice as he leaned forward, trying to get a better view.

She giggled. "Those are just Paras. They're cultivating a special kind of fungus in this cave."

"Fungus. Charming."

"As a matter of fact, _yes_," She said with a grin in her voice, her aura glowing. She was like a completely different person away from Terry and the others. Before she had seemed shy, cowardly, and altogether weak. Now she was _talking_, brave, and strangely excited about fungus of all things.

What kind of a trainer had he ended up with?.

"It's starting!" She sat back, her aura shining in excitement.

"What's-"

"Shh!"

The last ray of light from the evening disappeared abruptly. It was pitch black for a long breathless moment, and a tiny glow flickered alight, all alone in the secluded cave. More and more tiny orbs of light appeared, growing in size and number until the entire cave was illuminated by cerulean fire.

The Paras scurried around the rocky floor, tending to luminescent patches of moss growing in clumps. The strange plants filled the cavern with flickering blue and green glows, casting faint shadows on the stones and the curtain of water behind them.

Stunned, Indigo opened his crimson eyes, letting his normal vision take over. It was incredible. He had never seen a sight so beautiful in this time. The shimmering glow of the mossy cave flickered and spun like a living creature, alluring and mysterious. It was like magic.

"Beautiful," the dark haired girl breathed from his side. He was too stunned to even look over, so engrossed by this unexpected piece of beauty. He had lived in these mountains for a year, and never once seen this?

A thought struck him. "You chose a _glowing hiding spot_?" Indigo said incredulously, unable to believe such idiocy.

"Well it's pretty. So there. And it won't last long."

"Oh for the love of…" Indigo growled in exasperation. Girls. He would never, _never,_ understand them, human or otherwise. Riza had been just as bad. That combined with her weird love of terrifying Pokemon had made her difficult to keep up with.

If only he'd been able to protect her from the start, he never would have been sent to this strange place, with this strange body. What he needed was a trainer who could teach him new strength, Master ball or no Master ball. For some reason he didn't think a weird fungus loving slip of a girl was up to the task.

Maybe he could use her help, if only to see what _not_ to do.

"Danny…" the girl whispered softly, sighing as she exhaled. He looked over, somewhat surprised. He'd been lost in his thoughts longer than he'd expected. The girl was fast asleep, her head pillowed in the soft sand. Her too thin body was illuminated by the soft blue glow emanating from the mossy cave.

The light illuminated other things as well. Deep scratches crisscrossed her arms, black in the dim glow of the cave, oozing dark liquid in streaks. Her cheek was cut as well, and a few broken brambles decorated her hair. Her legs were protected by stiff blue pants, but even they hadn't been spared completely. They were ripped and bloodied in several different places, giving her the overall look of a murder victim.

The girl he had just proclaimed weak was soaked in a pool of her own blood.

He was already hissing as he leaned forward on one hand, trying to get a better view. His head hurt from prolonged use of his Aura vision, but such petty concerns were brushed aside as he studied his idiotic trainer. She could have gone to a hospital. She could have battled the newcomer then and there. She could have given him up to the hunters. She could have _told him how badly she was hurt!_

But instead she had injured herself and hidden in a dirty cave, risking infection, and blood loss. Stupid, stupid girl! What on earth had she been thinking?

_I wouldn't_…_I _couldn't_ abandon my partner…If we leave those Pokemon will find us…_

Extreme selflessness. It had been for _his_ sake. She had been thinking of _him_ the entire time, when she could have saved herself. There was something in those eyes of hers, those violet eyes the exact same shade as Riza's, that wasn't capable of giving up on what her heart was set on. She had been strong enough to fight and bleed for what she cared about, and selfless enough not to see it as a sacrifice.

Indigo's crimson eyes snapped open at the thought, at the exact moment the cerulean lights faded from the moss, plunging the cave into darkness once again. Strength. The girl possessed strength, however hidden it had been behind her shyness. He would have never seen it at face value.

Exhaustion struck him all at once, and he realized how long it had been since he had rested. He had battled hard and long today. It was time to get some sleep. He couldn't help her now…tomorrow, he would bring her to the nearby town and get her to a doctor. Tomorrow.

As he was drifting off to sleep he remembered the radiant carefree smile of his princess as she held up his Jolteon to the light and spun in circles. He held onto the image as though it were precious, as indeed it was, before letting it go with a sigh.

He couldn't help but wonder if things would have been different if he had risked everything and trusted in his Pokemon. If he hadn't left them behind on that last, fateful day…

~o~

_"She's gone," a familiar voice spoke softly from the door. Indigo opened his eyes, his thoughts groggy and disoriented. He turned to the doorway automatically, wincing as his back complained about him sleeping in a chair. He fell backwards from said chair, stammering with shock._

_"Q-Queen Analynn, what-"_

_"My daughter is missing," the Queen of Halladen said simply, as though resigned. "He took her last night. No one saw them go."_

_Indigo knew it was impossible, but for a moment he felt like his heart had stopped. Riza. She couldn't have. At once he was on his feet, his eyes automatically searching for his Poke balls and cloak. Before he could dash out of the room he forced himself to turn to face the blue eyed Queen._

_"Did she…leave anything for me?" he asked quietly, fearing the answer. Would she have left anything for him, after he had lied about his involvement with the Nightwalker?_

_"No," Queen Analynn said shortly, but her pale features didn't change. She held out a letter stamped with blood red sealing wax, her eyes flashing for a moment with something that might have been fear. Indigo swallowed slightly, taking the heavy paper with a shaking hand._

_He knew who _this_ letter was from._

_He opened it, taking in the heavy, high quality paper and the elegant hand._

_It was very simple._

~o~

"Indigo," _the doctor wrote. "_The Princess has come to me of her own free will, as you already know, in an attempt to end all the violence. Her death will end a war. She knows this, and yet she still had the temerity to ask one final favor. She wants you, Indigo. Your life in exchange for hers. Ironic, is it not? The princess dying for the boy who sold his soul to save hers. Love is a powerful, exploitable thing. She is not aware of this invitation. Indigo, come to Karraket before the next dawn, and watch her die. Consider it my final gift to a faithful servant. Bring your Pokemon and I will see to it that she dies in agony. Bring your Volcanofur, and nothing else. Do this and you can see her one last time before the world burns.

~o~

_It was signed elegantly. Doctor Camellia, the man who had started it all._

_"What are you going to do?" Indigo said softly, his eyes never leaving the crème paper._

_"There is...nothing to do," the Queen answered finally, sighing. "My daughter had chosen her fate."_

_Indigo turned, his dark eyes furious. "Nothing? She's going to die! And you know it, too!"_

_"Riza Calariam is dead already!" The Queen snapped suddenly, her eyes flashing. "What remains is no concern of mine, or my husband. If he has her, maybe he will leave us alone."_

_Indigo was silent, stunned beyond words. He had expected such a thing from the King, but sweet Queen Analynn? Did she really not understand that Riza was still in there, despite the changes Doctor Camellia had made?_

_He looked into her eyes and saw his answer. He turned aside grimly, grabbing his grey cloak. He swung it around his shoulders, letting the familiar weight steady him._

_There was only one choice. For Riza. He would play the madman's game, for the time being. His Pokemon would just have to stay behind. He couldn't risk her being hurt. And he would get no help from the King and Queen._

_He had to do this alone._

_"Coward," he whispered simply. The Queen flinched as though she had been slapped. He opened a drawer, regarding the five spheres within._

_It took more strength than he thought he possessed, but he shut the drawer. Turning away, he walked out the door, right past the silent Queen. The Volcanofur was hot under his skin as he turned it over in his hands, feeling very alone. He had to get to Karraket, and he didn't have much time._

_Pokemon or no Pokemon. He would defend his home and protect the girl he loved, even if the entire world had to burn for it. She was all that mattered._

_He loved her._

_With that thought firmly in mind, Indigo made the decision to fight to the death for her life. Just as Doctor Camellia had known he would._

_His partners would simply have to stay behind this once._

~o~

Indigo woke to the sound of sobbing and the fresh smell of blood. Violet was on her knees, holding her hands over her face as she cried. Her arm had been cut deeply just below her shoulder, and it bled sluggishly in the cold.

"What happened?" Indigo snarled, anger filling him as he searched for the culprit. Pale light spilled through the curtain of water. It was morning. The ledge was stained with dark water, as though something had crawled out from under the falls.

Kabutops. There was no other explanation. But _how?_

"I-it took…my friend…" the girl said hopelessly, unable to continue. It was then that Indigo noticed the absence of the girl's second violet Poke ball. His poke ball was lying forgotten in the sand, almost hidden amongst the stones.

Of course! The girl had another poke ball identical to his, a violet sphere that held her other partner. The Kabutops had mistaken it for his!

But how had it found them? With a sudden premonition, Indigo followed the drops of old blood to the end of the ledge. The cliff was stained with small smears of dark red where the girl had rested her hands to keep her balance on the precarious path. It was obvious in the morning light. The Kabutops would have been able to swim under the waterfall easily.

The girl stood, breaking his train of thought. She held onto her newly injured arm, and started walking slowly towards the path, her steps shuffling as she limped slightly.

"Idiot! What are you doing?" Indigo burst out with alarm, his eyes going wide. She didn't stop, even at his words.

She stumbled slightly before reaching the first stone. "I have to save him. He needs my help."

"Do you have any idea how much blood you've lost? You must be insane to want to go after your Pokemon!" Indigo snarled. It didn't make sense. Hadn't she gone through enough?

"I have to!" She spun to face him, fire in her eyes. "He's my partner. I can't leave him behind no matter what! If I had been strong enough I could have stopped that Kabutops from taking him." She gripped her arm tighter, more tears pooling at the corners of her eyes before streaming down her face.

Her cut took on new meaning as her words sank in. She had tried to fight _herself_. That foolish girl had fought hand to hand with a Kabutops, all in the name of protecting her partner.

It _didn't make sense!_

He took a deep breath. "You're not going anywhere."

"I have to! I already told you-"

"That's not what I meant." Indigo cut her off. "I'll go get your Pokemon. You stay here until I get back, girl. And try not to do anything stupid. Again."

"H-hey!" she stuttered with indignation. "_Again_?"

"Try to stay hidden in case those Pokemon come back. When they realize their mistake it could get ugly. Just hide in that cave. It goes back pretty far, doesn't it?" Indigo thought out loud. His trainer didn't respond, and he turned with surprise. She was staring at him with a stunned expression.

"You'll really get him back for me?" she whispered softly, as though unable to believe it. "_Really?_"

"Of course," Indigo said uncomfortably, surprised by the look in her eyes. "Just leave it to me."

She laughed, surprising him. "I _knew_ you were good," she whispered, almost to herself, before extending one hand. "My name is Violet. I like spaghetti and donuts and my favorite color is all of the colors. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Indigo," the surprised Lucario introduced himself, taking her hand. She beamed at him, her smile seeming out of place on her pale, dirtied face. "I…what is a donut?" he asked, confused.

"That," Violet said after a long moment, "…is just not right. Indigo, have you been living in the mountains your _whole life?_"

"I…suppose you could say that," Indigo said, feeling a little discomfited by her tone. "Why?"

Violet stared at him with that same disbelieving expression. She laughed again, a little ruefully. She put her hand on his shoulder, her purple eyes meeting crimson.

"I have a lot to teach you, Indigo. I'm glad I ended up with a partner like you."

~o~

**A/N **Well. Haha, um...I actually liked that. Writing it I mean. Violet actually turned out decent, even if I need to touch this up some. Indigo's past story is slowly being revealed, and Violet has a long journey ahead of her as well. Thank you all for convincing me to continue this story. It never would have happened without your support, trust me.

K Tori out~


	5. A New Beginning

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pocket Monsters**

**~o~**

The morning sun had just peered over the horizon in the east when Karo heard a twig snap. His orange eyes flew open. A series of fast thuds echoed in the forest, still a short ways off. Kabutops.

He folded up his bedroll and placed it in his pack methodically. It was a success then, even if it had taken a bit longer than expected. His Pokemon wouldn't dare return if they had failed.

Kabutops darted through the clearing and stopped suddenly by his side. Arcanine was only moments behind, its flanks heaving. In Arcanines mouth was a distinctive Poke ball, violet with two yellow stripes and an 'M'. The Pokemon dropped the ball in the grass, its tongue lolling out as it panted heavily. Kabutops wasn't winded at all from the long run, its cold eyes as blank as ever.

Karo picked up the Master ball with a brief, indulgent smile. Success was such a euphoric feeling.

"Excellent work, Arcanine, Kabutops. Return," the blonde man said absently, his eyes never leaving the otherworldly sphere. He could practically _feel_ the power emanating from the famed perfect Poke ball. As if begging him to open it.

"You found it then?" Terry stretched his arms above his head, popping the joints before standing next to Karo. He alone had stayed the night, waiting for the chance to capture Lucario. Karo grimaced. He had hoped the boy would give up, leaving him an easy victory. But it was not to be so.

"Yes. This is undoubtedly the girls Master ball." Karo responded absently. As if there were any _other_ Master balls nearby.

"Well open it up then!" Terry said with a grin. "It's had plenty of time to rest since our battle, so this will be a challenge."

Karo smiled slightly and turned to Terry. He handed him a hammer from his pack, "Use this to smash the Master Ball when the Lucario is freed. That will break the girl's ownership."

"Will that really work?" The spiky haired trainer looked at the hammer dubiously.

Karo shrugged. "It's crude, but effective. Now get ready." He grabbed an Ultra Ball from his belt before holding the Master Ball out with his other hand.

"Now, join us! Lucario!" He shouted, pushing the white button on the center of the ball. It opened with a burst of amethyst light that blinded the two. Terry covered his eyes with his arm, squinting into the bright purple sunburst.

The violet light flashed beautifully in the cold mountain air, seeming to last forever, but eventually it faded, revealing a Pokemon lying regally in the grass.

Terry stared. Karo stared. Terry started laughing his head off while Karo twitched violently, going completely red.

"What is _that?!" _

~o~

Indigo darted through the waking forest with his eyes shut tight. Aura shifted around him in blues, grays and purple, leading him to his target. His strange vision certainly helped, but it wasn't what led him most surely.

He followed the smell of Violets' blood. It served as a constant reminder of her pain, and it was that reminder which fueled the icy determination within him. She should not have been hurt.

He bounded high suddenly, landing in the branches of a tree. He could see them now, fifty feet away, in the same clearing as before. Arcanine delivered the Master ball to the one with orange eyes as he watched. It would not be long now before the mix up would be discovered. His moment would come. For now, he would wait. With a sigh, he released his Aura vision.

It bothered him how natural he felt in this body now…like it was his original. He longed to be human again, but still, he would miss being able to sense aura, and being able to understand the Pokemon.

But it was a small price to pay, comparatively.

Stealthily he dropped to the ground, barely making a noise as he hit the leaf strewn forest floor. He would have to be quick and quiet. If he could avoid a fight he would be able to get her to a hospital faster. The stupid girl probably wouldn't go until he had saved her partner.

Moving on foot, he crept closer to the clearing, all his senses on alert. His sensitive ears pricked forward as they picked up an unexpected sound. Laughter? Why would there be _laughter_ of all things_?_

"That Lucario will be mine!" the orange eyed man was shouting, "This minor setback won't stop me!"

"Minor setback? You call getting _that_ a minor setback, Karo?" Terry laughed even harder, doubling over as tears streamed from his eyes. The normally cool trainer looked like he might be in danger of suffocating from the mere act of laughing.

"Yes. A _minor_ setback," The one called Karo hissed. "One that will be rectified shortly. That girl is far more cunning then I gave her credit for. My Lucario will be with me shortly."

Indigo blinked, totally caught off guard by the unexpected display. Terry sat down hard, clutching his ribs, all the while pointing at the blonde man. In a surprising fit of rage, Karo kicked Violet's Poke ball, sending it sailing into the air.

It landed a bare five feet from where he crouched, hidden by the thick bushes. Indigo stared at it for a long moment. Could it really be so easy?

Terry wiped the tears of mirth from his eyes, still chuckling. "So why are you so hung up on this Pokemon anyways? I mean, _yeah_, it's cool, but Violet kind of duped you. Big time. Why keep trying?"

Karo pressed a finger to his temple, barely controlled irritation still lining his features. "Simple. I want Lucario for power. I make it a goal to search the world for powerful Pokemon, or those with great potential, and then I train them to be the best. With me, this Lucario could _be_ the best. I know this for truth."

Indigo froze, his arm still extended for Violet's Poke ball.

"Power?" Terry scoffed, clearly unimpressed. "That's it?"

"That's it," Karo confirmed. "Isn't that all I need?"

Someone who could help him become strong. Someone who was willing to train him to be the best.

Indigo's paw clenched as his mind whirled. He could return home, he could set things right, _he could stop Halladen from disappearing!_

But what about Violet? She was waiting for him to return. She would wait for a long time before leaving, he knew that. He couldn't just _leave_ her, could he?

But his home was in danger. His world had burned, and he himself had wielded the torch that ignited it. It was his fault. How could he not take this opportunity if it meant he could set things right?

One girl in exchange for a kingdom. One smile for the opportunity to go back and set things right.

One friend in exchange for one love.

What should he do?

His memory brought forth a vision he had never wanted to see again. His princess, sick and dying, her face so pale it rivaled the moon as she lay there, barely breathing. She had looked dead, and the sight had killed him. Riza, the terrifying, beautiful, happy girl he had known had nearly died in front of his eyes. And the one who had saved her life hadn't been him.

It had been his greatest enemy. Doctor Camellia as he had been known. Otherwise known as _Tero_.

He was going to kill her, now that he had what he needed. Tero was going to murder the girl he loved, and quite possibly destroy a kingdom along with her in his quest for revenge.

He couldn't abandon his home.

He would get Violet to a hospital anyways, he reasoned, fighting back a small sense of guilt. She would be fine, and could capture a new Pokemon. It wasn't like he could pass this chance up.

He would have one final match to decide his trainer.

He took a step out of the forest cover and into the morning sun.

~o~

"So what are you going to do now? Catch a different Pokemon?" Terry asked, almost uncaring.

Karo grimaced at the idea. It was difficult to find worthwhile Pokemon. "No. First, I'll find that girl again. I'll deal with her first. I'm not giving up so easily."

Terry snorted. "Violet has a talent for disappearing. You aren't going to find her again."

"No," a new voice said, low and powerful. "You will not."

A figure stood at the end of the clearing, settled into a fighting stance. Black coated paws, steel spikes, and crimson eyes were all Karo could see as his mind halted completely.

Lucario had come of its own free will to test its strength against his. It had recognized his potential and was here to accept its destiny.

"Are you here alone?" Karo asked, fighting hard to keep his excitement out of his voice. The Lucario hesitated for a brief moment. It nodded sharply, and Karo could no longer contain a small smile of exultation.

"You will not be disappointed," the orange eyed man said simply, his hands clasping on a Great ball so covered in scratches the color was almost gone. "Nidoking, show me your power!"

An armored Pokemon plated in thick purple entered the field, denting the grass flat. The Nidoking roared as it whipped its tail back and forth. The massive Pokemon was completely covered in huge poison filled spikes, and wicked claws extended from its strong arms. A Nidoking was not to be taken lightly, type disadvantage or not.

"Hey, watch it!" Terry complained, narrowly dodging a swipe from the Nidoking's claws. He settled back far out of reach of the monstrous Pokemon, and off the soon to be battlefield. "Irritable _and_ ugly. I guess Pokemon really do resemble their trainers," the spiky haired boy grumbled.

"Nidoking, use Frustration!" Karo ordered, glaring at the teen sidelong. "Finish it in one blow!"

The Pokemon let out another roar and charged the Lucario. It slashed at its opponent with powerful blows that could crush cars.

The Lucario jumped nearly seven feet straight up with Aura enhanced strength, cleanly dodging the attack, as though it were that simple. It whipped in a circle in midair and slammed its glowing palm into the side of the Nidoking's head.

His Pokemon stumbled back, reeling from the blow. The Lucario landed in a crouch. "It will hardly be so simple," it growled, a satisfied smirk appearing briefly on its face.

Karo gritted his teeth. "Nidoking, use Focus Energy!" It was overkill, charging the already powerful Pokemon, but such insolence could not be allowed to stand. The monstrous purple Pokemons eyes went gold, and it stopped its attack to charge energy.

Lucario took the opportunity to fire a point blank Dark Pulse against the creature's stomach. It stumbled back before swinging its massive tail in an arc. It hit the Lucario like a mace, throwing it nearly twenty feet away, and through an aspen tree.

The blue and black Pokemon stood slowly, wincing at the blow. But it was still conscious. Karo whistled low, his estimation of the Lucario going up a few notches.

But to see its true strength, he had to push harder.

"Nidoking, Hyper Beam!" Karo ordered, his eyes gleaming as he took in every facet of his future partners reaction.

The Lucario's eyes widened with shock even as its instincts kicked in. It jumped back a few feet to better footing and dodged the blast of golden energy with a side roll. Immediately it was back on its feet, preparing for another attack…

Karo opened his mouth to shout a command, but shut it. Nidoking needed time to recover. The Lucario moved as though it had rehearsed everything a thousand times, its legs disappearing in white as it prepared for the final blow.

Nidoking never had a chance. When it fell it was like the earth had convulsed.

"Good," Karo admitted, recalling his fallen Pokemon. "…but not good enough. That was my newest Pokemon. I've only been training it for about a month now. Can you handle something a little stronger?"

Lucario snorted. "If that was your strongest I would have been gone by now." It settled into a warriors stance, crouched low with one arm extended, ready for battle.

Without a word, Karo selected a new sphere from his belt. He tossed into the air almost nonchalantly, releasing the former murderer onto the battlefield.

"Kazam," the bronze Pokemon rumbled, its eyes dark and menacing. It held two broken spoons with jagged edges in its hands as it hovered above the ground in a cross legged position.

Karo smiled, replacing the empty Ultra ball to his belt. He had saved this Alakazam from the execution block. It would have been a shame to destroy something so uniquely powerful. Who cared if it had killed three children before it was captured? Children died all the time.

"Alakazam, Psychic," Karo thought silently, feeling the tug on his awareness as his mind was read. The Lucario stood completely still, every sense on alert as it waited for his next move.

It never saw the attack coming.

"Now, Disable," Karo thought again, his mind leaping two moves ahead of the battle. The Lucario recovered quickly, moving in to attack, before stopping. It blankly stared at its hands, where a Dark Pulse should have been. Another Psychic knocked the fighting Pokemon to the side, almost sending it to the ground.

The Lucario was fighting blind so to speak. Karo didn't have to speak to order his Psychic Pokemon, and on top of that, Alakazam didn't even have to move in order to attack. There were no subtle tips in body language for the fighter to read. There was nothing it could do except hope to get in close, dodging invisible Psychic attacks all the while.

"Finish it," Karo thought silently, allowing himself a brief grin. "Psychic, one more time."

The Lucario's ears pricked up and it danced to the side, dodging by a hair. Karo frowned. A fluke? "Again," he urged. Alakazam attacked and again the Lucario dodged, barely throwing himself aside in time.

It was then that Karo noticed Lucario's eyes. They were shut tight. The four black appendages under its ears were hovering in the air, quivering with energy.

"Faster," Karo ordered, his orange eyes widening. "Don't stop firing!"

It looked like Lucario was dancing, pulled along by the strings of a puppeteer as it dodged every Psychic. Just when it looked like it would be hit for sure, the fighting Pokemon slammed its fists together, creating a protective sphere of white.

Was the Lucario learning to predict Alakazam's attacks with Aura? Was that even possible?

Lucario smiled sardonically at Karo, as if reading _his _mind. It began glowing white once again, the power gathering around its legs and tail. Quick Attack!

"Use Reflect," Karo ordered out loud, not bothering with silent orders. It wasn't much use if the Lucario could predict attacks. Alakazam held out one hand, as though reaching for someone's neck. It twisted savagely and a golden barrier sprung into being, shimmering in the sunrise like glass.

The Lucario didn't even slow down. He passed right through the barrier, accepting the weakening of his attack, and it was then that Karo realized his mistake.

"No, Alakazam, get back!" he shouted desperately, making his Pokemon start with surprise. It turned, trying to escape. The Lucario smiled as it struck with paws coated in midnight fire. Dark Pulse hit solidly.

Alakazam stayed down, the massive hit enough to take it down in one blow.

Karo clenched his fist. He only had one Pokemon left, since his Arcanine and Kabutops would be practically useless to him after hunting all night. And they would need to hunt again today, to find that girl and her Master Ball.

But no matter. This Pokemon could not lose. The Lucario was breathing heavily already, having sustained quite a bit of damage. This battle was over.

"Go, Dragonite!"

~o~

Indigo worked to draw breath into his tired lungs. This mans Pokemon were trained to a level unlike anything he had seen before. It was unthinkable for him to sustain this much damage after being hit by just two attacks. And yet he had.

This was power. _True_ power.

It was intoxicating.

An image of Tero's sardonic face flashed in his mind. His black eyes mocked him, as though he knew a secret Indigo did not.

Only when his opponent spoke again did Indigo remember his battle wasn't over yet.

"Go, Dragonite!" Karo spoke, smoothly and with authority, throwing an Ultra Ball into the air. Dazzling yellow light burst from the ball, brighter than the light of the rising sun.

A pale yellow dragon stood in the midst of the fading glow of its Poke ball. It looked around curiously, turning its wide head from side to side. It saw Indigo and focused, its human eyes staring at him intently. Deep green wings sprouted from its back, their size betraying their strength.

What manner f Pokemon was this?

The dragon raised one hand, the claws on it elongating sharply, glowing with a sudden light. It disappeared without seeming to move, materializing right in front of Indigo. He stumbled back at its sudden proximity, stepping just behind the slashing Dragon Claw. It was a very near miss.

So _fast!_

A second Dragon Claw followed the first. Indigo jumped back, the attack coming so close he could feel the wind of the razor edged claw brushing against his stomach. He gathered energy in his hands to counterattack, firing a Dark Pulse directly against the Pokémon's stomach.

The Dragonite stopped attacking suddenly and scratched its head, angling its face towards its trainer for instructions. It wasn't even winded. The same attack that had dealt with Alakazam in one blow had done _nothing. _Indigo let another burst of dark energy loose, hitting the Dragonite squarely.

It didn't even flinch.

What was going on? Could a single Pokemon really be so strong? He skipped back a few steps, watching the pale dragon carefully. He could see its aura swirling slowly, as though it wanted to take a nap. It seemed completely at ease, even daring to yawn.

"Dragonite, Thunder!" Karo commanded with a flourish of his hand. The Dragonite turned back to Indigo, strong electricity dancing between the antennae adorning its head.

Indigo's eyes widened as he realized what was coming.

The gleaming power reached its peak before blasting towards Indigo in a surging wave of raw power, making the very air crackle. His fur stood up on end as he watched the attack come, transfixed. A moment before it struck, he leapt out of its path, adrenaline taking over from fear.

The Thunder struck a nearby tree, making it glow eerily blue and release static sparks into the air. The ground below the bolt was singed and smoking. Dragonite stood silhouetted in the now hazy air, sparks still crackling sporadically between its antennae.

"What power," Indigo breathed, unable to tear his eyes away from the destruction.

"Marvelous, isn't it?" Karo spoke, walking to stand beside his Pokemon. He lay a hand on its shoulder before speaking. "It's power that you could easily obtain, if you came with me. You can't win this fight, not in your current state, and you can't expect that girl to train you properly. Come with me, and together we can accomplish anything, Lucario."

His words rang with conviction, and Indigo could sense no lie in them. This man believed that what he was saying was true. And it was, in a way. Indigo didn't think he could win this fight, not against a Dragonite with such abilities. He was going to lose. He felt a pang of regret shoot through his chest at the thought. What about the girl?

He shook his head violently to clear it of such thoughts. He should be happy. He was finally going to train under a powerful master. He had everything he needed now; Violet was unnecessary. She would be just fine on her own. She hardly needed him.

"I am still bound to Violet," Indigo spoke carefully, "I can't simply leave."

"Ah yes, the Master Ball," Karo chuckled. "Don't worry; I can easily destroy that bond. I have done so before, and recently."

"Such a bond can be broken? Without Violet releasing me?" Indigo blinked. He hadn't considered that. He had thought he would have to convince Violet to release him before he could leave.

"Yes. There are a few ways you can break the bonds between a trainer and Pokemon. Destroying the sphere for example, although Master Balls are notoriously difficult to break. If that fails, I have a plan B." Karo explained confidently, his orange eyes alight.

So this was it then. He would say his goodbyes to Vi…_the girl_, and get her to a hospital. Their paths went in separate directions now.

But his Master ball was with Violet. The thought of going back to face her made him writhe with guilt. It would be better if he never saw her again. Karo could make sure she got medical attention after all, he reasoned uncomfortably.

"Plan B is probably for the best," Indigo admitted slowly, dropping his arms to his sides. The Dragonite blinked slowly at him, regarding him with those odd, too human eyes.

"I agree," Karo said finally, after giving it some thought. "It's messy, but far more effective. It wouldn't be fair for her to get away so easily of course." He took a Poke ball from his belt, releasing Kabutops onto the field.

"Kill her," Karo said simply.

Indigo's body moved instinctively, striking the Kabutops down with a Force Palm before the words had even registered fully. He whirled, turning before its unconscious form hit the ground.

"What do you think you're doing?" Indigo snarled, the words ripping out of his throat.

"She is a nuisance," Karo said, every word precise. His eyes sparked with anger. "Sacrifices must be made. If the girl lives she will simply come after you. She could tell the local police force, hindering our movements."

Indigo stared.

Karo sighed impatiently. "You are not yet ready. The path to true power is stained in blood. If you don't learn to kill you will never be strong," the blonde man explained, clearly irritated. "That girl will die, whether you wish it or not. You are mine now!"

Indigo barely heard the second half of Karo's words as a roaring rush filled his ears. _Kill Violet? _

The roaring increased in intensity, and rage filled his limbs. Was this what he meant by strength? Murdering innocents?

He had seen too much death. He would not see it again.

Aura exploded from his core, whipping around him in a frenzy of power. He let out a snarl of rage, gathering the burning aura in a swirling silver ball. It grew, the cold fire eating at his strength. Karo's eyes widened and he stumbled back from the maelstrom of power. Winds whipped throughout the clearing in a testament to the rage of the warrior.

"Wha-What are you doing!" Karo shouted, fear in his eyes. "Are you giving this chance up? Are really turning down this power?"

The steel grey sphere floating in between Indigo's palms shivered violently, gathering more of his aura and compressing it. Indigo's eyes opened and they glowed like beaten silver.

Karo wheeled around, running for the trees. Dragonite following his trainers progress with a lazy tilt of its head. The Aura Sphere shot from Indigo's hands like a meteor, trailing wisps of misty color that spun wildly in the tailwind of the attack.

It spun towards Karo, a whirling star of multihued power. Pale shadows arched sharply from his form, accentuating the growing fear on his face.

"Dragonite!" Karo called desperately. The dragon's eyes sharpened and suddenly it was moving, flying with such speed he flickered out of sight for an instant. He reappeared in front of Karo, arms outstretched protectively.

The Aura Sphere hit the Dragonite squarely, exploding in a burst of white fire. A shock wave recoiled from the blow, laced with aura and mist. It was followed by a roaring wave of sound that bent and cracked trees with its power.

The strength was leeched from Indigos limbs and he fell to one knee, breathing hard. The white purple aura dissipated into the air, leaving him in a small crater where the grass and earth had been worn away.

The Dragonite fell with a groan, hitting the ground with a crash. Indigo stood carefully, ignoring the weakness in his body as best he could. He turned to Karo, staring at him disdainfully.

"If this is your strength….then you are unworthy to be my trainer." Indigo said, in between his ragged breathing. Karo's eyes widened as though he had been slapped, a pale sheen of sweat marking his skin.

Indigo spotted a baggy yellow pack lying next to Karo's belongings. It carried a trace of Violets aura. He picked it up, holding it in one hand. Such a fool he had been…if Riza knew what he had almost done…

"If you harm Violet, you will pay the price." Indigo stated in a muted voice. He knew Karo had heard him.

He would have to stay with that stupid girl now. Who knew what kind of trouble she would get into. He smiled wryly before gathering what little strength he had left into his legs. He darted into the forest, picking up her second Master Ball in the process.

Indigo was leaving behind a powerful, ruthless trainer, who would have been able to teach him to be strong beyond imagining.

He didn't look back.

~o~

Violet shivered in the cold of the morning. The sun had risen past the peak of Mt. Moon now, although it hadn't yet chased away the chill left behind by the frozen night. Indigo would be returning soon, she thought trustingly. Just a little longer.

She shivered again, more violently. She grinned, laughing at her body's complaints. She wasn't bleeding anymore, probably due to the cold, but she was having a bit of trouble feeling her toes. Well, who needed all of their toes anyways, she thought bravely. Violet considered that for a moment before bending down to rub at her frozen feet. She happened to like her toes.

The waterfall roared and crashed against the rocks at its base. Silver mist clung to the sides of the basin, casting hundreds of tiny rainbows in the sunlight. The new day was perfect and beautiful.

A sound like a footstep echoed around the basin and under the falls. Violet straightened, listening carefully. More quick footsteps, too fast to be human. Lucario landed gracefully on the ledge, holding her faded yellow backpack and a familiar Master Ball. He was breathing hard, and had a strange look in his eyes.

Violet broke into a wide grin and ran towards him. He handed her the Master Ball without a word. She laughed and spun in a circle before clipping the sphere to her belt.

"Thank you!" she said with a smile.

"Well aren't you in a good mood," Indigo said with surprise. "Did something happen?"

She nodded, still smiling softly. "I met someone new. And I just know that we're going to be good friends."

"Who?" Indigo asked in confusion, looking around. Violet rolled her eyes, not dignifying that with a response. She opened her pack and withdrew a spray on medicine. She looked at it for a moment before spraying it all on Indigo. He coughed, trying to wave away the chemical smell.

"What was that for?"

"You're injured," Violet replied simply. She placed the empty bottle back in her pack and withdrew a water bottle, draining it quickly. She unwrapped a chocolate bar, her eyes rolling back slightly as she bit into the bittersweet perfection. There was nothing like chocolate after an unexpected fast.

"I'm injured? Have you seen yourself recently?" Indigo said with something akin to disbelief. "At least tell me you have more of that for yourself."

"Nope," Violet replied through a mouth of chocolate. She swallowed, smiling at him. He stared at her in disbelief, words failing him. He looked so utterly lost that Violet couldn't help but wonder what had happened while he was gone.

She stood, brushing off her jeans. Questions could wait. "Shall we go?"

He nodded silently. She picked up his Master Ball from the sand, and after a moment of deliberation, placed it in her pack.

"Let's go then," she said with a smile. She took a step forward and her vision blurred violently. Violet winced, grabbing her arm. It hurt, suddenly. She took a step forward, bowing her head as a rush of blood flooded it, making her ears roar.

"Violet!" Indigo cried out sharply, his voice laced with alarm. He stepped forward to catch her, his eyes panicked.

The last thing she remembered was being dizzy as the ground rose up to greet her.

~o~

For one panicked moment he thought she was dead. Then his sense returned, and he felt for a pulse. She was alive. She had suffered massive trauma, and been exposed in the mountains overnight, but somehow she was alive.

It would have taken hours for her to get out of the mountains herself. But he could get her there in half an hour, if he ran. He studied her Aura with his double vision and sighed with relief. It was pulsing and bright. She would be okay.

"You'll be safe now," the Lucario said to Violets unconscious form. "Stupid girl." He skipped along the stony path and ran in the direction of Pewter City.

~o~

**A/N** Sorry for the wait, but I'm done! Finally done! 8DDD End of term testing was killer this year. I'll be able to get the next one out alot faster though, so be waiting!

Ok, contest time. Who can guess Violet's second Pokemon? The winner will recieve an honorable mention in the next Authors Note, and a free cyber cookie. No spoilers! :)

Thank you all for putting up with me! XD


	6. A Changed World

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own Pokemon, Yugioh, Digimon, or any other hit trading card series. Not even Naruto trading card companies. *sighs***

**~o~**

"Quiet day today," A young woman with magenta hair commented, stretching her arms above her head. Her shoulders popped and she breathed a sigh of contentment.

Nurse Joy agreed with her young daughter inwardly. It had been a busy week, with hordes of rookies healing their Pokemon so they could go challenge the Lucario of the Kanto region. It had finally quieted down a bit, and Nurse Joy was enjoying the rest. There was nothing quite like autumn in Pewter city.

Joyce dropped the pile of clipboards she had been holding. They clattered against the white floor, papers flying everywhere.

"Joyce!" Nurse Joy scolded, "What's gotten into you?" She followed her daughters gaze to the front of the Pokemon center. A Lucario with fierce eyes was holding a dark haired girl in his arms. She was unconscious and covered in drying blood. Her face was as pale as snow.

"Prepare the emergency room, stat!" The nurse ordered frantically as she rushed from behind the counter, not watching to see if she was obeyed. She stopped as the automatic doors whooshed open, taken aback by the intensity of the Lucario. Its crimson eyes gleamed bright. It was breathing heavily as it supported the bloody girl in its arms.

"Please," The Lucario rasped, holding the broken girl out. "Help her."

~o~

Bright lights. They burned the insides of her eyelids like white fire. Violet tossed her head to the side, groaning.

She was surprised by the weakness in her body. She felt like she was dying. Her breathing became ragged as she realized she could not move. Fear coiled inside her, and she flexed her arms, trying to escape. The movement only brought more pain, sharp stabbing points of pain made brighter by the lack of other sensation.

"-hold her still! Increase the anesthetics, and get that arm cleaned and disinfected-"

"-so much blood-"

"-she's waking up!"

Something pressed to her face that was cool and rubbery, and Violet slipped into unconsciousness with a sigh of relief.

~o~

Indigo paced on the strange, cool floors of this place called a 'Pokemon Center'. He'd trusted his Aura vision to lead him here, having heard of the place of healing from countless opponents. It felt unnatural. The entire place reeked of sterile walls and the tang of metal. It was also the first building he'd stepped into since being thrown into the future.

But they claimed they could help Violet. He could bear it for a while longer.

The door to the 'E.R' opened slightly, and the young girl with magenta hair who'd seen him first slipped out, her face pale. She was covered in a sheen of sweat, and breathing hard.

She noticed his stare and looked up, startled. "Sorry," she said with a breathless laugh. "I just…there was so much blood, and…" she trailed off, concentrating on her breathing.

Indigo understood. He had seen far too many beings cut up during the reign of Doctor Camellia. The scent of blood was something he would never forget. "Have you been a doctor long?" he asked, fighting back the urge to inquire after Violet. Worrying would do her no good.

The girl looked surprised. "Who, me? My mom is the Nurse Joy of this town, I'm just…everyone expects me to grow up to be just like her, you know? I'm not even sure I _want_ to be a nurse."

"I see," Indigo said, surprised. He lapsed into silence, processing this. Silence reigned for several minutes as the young girl's breathing slowed, and her color improved marginally.

"You," she said finally, looking up with pink eyes. "Are a talking Lucario. I am talking to a freaking Pokemon."

Indigo was taken aback at this, unsure how to respond. He was about to attempt a retort when the doors swung open for a second time, revealing the older Joy, a slight smile on her face.

"Your trainer is going to be just fine," the pink haired nurse said with an angelic smile. "She'll be awake shortly. Would you like to see her?"

Indigo nodded, ignoring the flood of relief that spread through his body. He hadn't known how tense he really was until the tension was gone, leaving him almost light-headed. It was a euphoric feeling.

The nurse smiled, holding the heavy grey door open for him. Indigo nodded in thanks as he passed into the room that smelled like chemicals.

Violet was sleeping on a strange, raised metal bed, covered in pristine white sheets. Her arms were wrapped in bandages from her fingertips to her shoulders, but they looked far better than they had when he had carried her here, hours ago.

Cautiously, he padded to her side, wincing away from the gleaming metal tools on trays that reminded him all too strongly of the doctor. Violets face was tired, but peaceful. With her face free of worry and pain, she was actually pretty, in her own way. She was banged up and had been badly hurt...

But she was alive. Beautifully alive. He snorted softly to himself at the thought. Her wounds weren't enough to kill, but still he was relieved.

"Indigo," Violet breathed with a sigh. "If this is heaven, there had better be donuts."

Indigo blinked. "Nurse, I believe there may have been some brain damage," he reported, eyeing the girl. He wondered yet again what a donut was.

Violet laughed under her breath at this, stretching her arms slightly. She opened her eyes, blinking a few times, and abruptly sat up.

"Miss, you aren't yet ready to be-"

"I'll be fine," Violet said with a crooked smile. She swung her legs out of bed. "I promise to take it easy for a few days. Honestly, I'm feeling almost human again. Besides," she said, looking at Indigo with a sidelong glance. "It wouldn't do to worry my new friend."

~o~

"So…" Violet started, kicking at loose pebbles on the road. "What's your favorite color?"

The Lucario turned its head to look at her blankly, caught off guard. He considered this for a moment. If he had to pick one, he would choose the gem like color of Riza's eyes. But it felt odd to tell Violet his favorite color was violet. "Indigo," he said finally, opting for something similar.

Violet hit her head with her palm. "I walked right into that one," she muttered under her breath, sighing.

"Why do you ask?" Indigo enquired, honestly curious.

"Well, I've never really talked to another Pokemon. It seems like a good way to get to know you better," Violet explained. "All I know is your name and species. That's not much to go on. What are your attacks?"

"Force Palm, Quick Attack, Detect, and Dark Pulse," Indigo listed absently. His thoughts went to the strange attack he'd used to battle Karo the day before. "There was a fifth…I used it by accident a while back. I don't know what to call it."

"Another move? What was it like?"

Indigo explained. Violet broke into a wide grin, her eyes lighting up. "_Aura Sphere_," she breathed reverently. "That's a strong one. I'd like to see Brock beat _that_."

At Indigo's blank look Violet continued. "Brock is the Gym Leader of Pewter city," she explained. "He's the strongest trainer in the city. If we beat him we get a badge. It's like a country wide contest to collect badges. The more a trainer has the stronger you know they are."

Her Lucario paused, processing this. His eyes flickered to her and then away, and she blushed slightly, suddenly wishing she already had a badge. She had been so busy though…

"U-um, show me this move, okay?" Violet stammered, pulling him off the road to a battered training field that lay abandoned in the midst of weeping autumn trees. Leaves littered the ground around the worn, sandy practice area, shifting slightly in the wind. An old metal bench stood alone off to one side.

Violet stared across the field for a moment, imagining an opponent on the opposite side. Distantly, she could hear chants and cheers, echoing from deep within her memory. The ghostly figure facing her reached for a Poke ball, tipping up his hat to reveal dark brown hair and flashing eyes.

Violet flinched, turning back to Indigo hurriedly, making the memory break apart like mist. "You ready?" she asked, meeting her Lucario's eyes. He looked up at her voice, startled out of his own thoughts, and nodded once. "Good," Violet said, relieved. "Indigo, use Aura Sphere!" she said dramatically, striking a pose.

Indigo rolled his eyes at her, but he slipped his eyes closed, relaxing his body into a fighting position. He breathed deep, focusing on his breathing.

Sparks crackled between his outstretched palms, and the light of day seemed to dim as his face reflected blue. The sphere grew slowly, hissing and fizzing angrily. Autumn leaves quivered on the ground, rising slowly into the air as tension grew, tangible and alive even from far away.

Violets eyes widened ever so slightly, going completely still.

The sphere began wobbling dangerously. It exploded suddenly with a burst of silvery blue power and Indigo was sent flying.

~o~

"Are you okay?" Violet gasped, running to his side. Indigo shook off her hand impatiently, struggling to stand with a growl.

He stood and immediately began gathering Aura again. Silver veins of power flowed around him, joining together between the spikes protruding from his black coated paws. Just when the sphere was about to be complete it exploded, throwing Indigo backwards.

He snarled and stood to try again. He had been able to do this before!

"Err….maybe you should take a break?" Violet suggested, wincing as another sphere burst.

"No," Indigo growled, forcing all his aura between his palms. It wavered, changing shape like a lump of hyperactive play dough, before shattering with a shock wave that threw him back once more. He landed on his toes, skidding back a few feet.

Irrational anger filled him at his failure. Why couldn't he use the attack again? It had never been like _this_ when he'd learned a new move in the past. This Aura was different. It was pure, unlike normal Aura, like comparing fire to lightning. It burned through him with cold heat, sapping the strength from his veins.

It was too strong. He didn't know how he'd managed it before.

Violet put a hand on his arm, stopping him from making another attempt. "Stop. We'll try again later, okay?"

He looked into her stern, purple eyes, before nodding with a sigh. What was wrong with him? It had come so naturally before, when he was facing Karo….

Maybe he had to be facing a powerful opponent?

"I have an idea," Indigo said, facing her. "Would you mind battling me with your other Pokemon?"

Violet blinked, her eyes widening with astonishment. "Really? You want to battle my starter?"

"Yes really. You used a powerful Poke Ball to capture it, so it must be strong," Indigo reasoned, eyeing the lilac sphere. He wondered what could be inside it…this Pokemon would be his ally from now on after all.

Violet beamed, irrationally happy about his request. "Yup, he's super strong!" she said happily. "He's even stronger than you are!"

Indigo stopped, taken aback by this new information. Stronger than he was? He had beaten every wild Pokemon it was conceivable to find in this area. Just what _was _this mystery Pokemon?

Violet grabbed her Master Ball and sent it spinning into the air. It burst with a rain of purple light, and Violets Pokemon took form.

"Come on out, Mr. Fin!" she shouted, her violet eyes sparkling.

A large red Magikarp lay majestically on the grass. "Karp," it said regally.

Indigo's eye twitched.

"Isn't he the best?" Violet gushed, kneeling to stroke the large fish. "He's the most beautiful Magikarp I've ever seen! He's the reason I spent so much time at the waterfall, I just had to catch him! It took me weeks to hook him on a line after I first saw him jump into the air, but it was worth it! I bet that the other Magikarp are jealous because he's so perfect, and powerful, and…." Violet continued, that same fond smile plastered onto her face.

Indigo was frozen in one place, staring at the thing on the grass.

"So what do you think? He's perfect, right?" Violet said, smiling at him brightly. Indigo looked closer dubiously.

The large Magikarp had gleaming crimson scales, the color of a perfectly cut ruby. Two tan whiskers sprouted from the sides of a baby pink mouth, curling as elegantly as though they had been styled. His top and bottom fins were rigid and strong. His two large side fins and tailfin looked as white and delicate as spun lace, betraying their strength.

"I think that's the ugliest thing I've ever seen," Indigo said honestly.

"Karp-karp!" The Magikarp cried, tears running down its face in a gushing stream.

"Mr. Fin! Don't listen to him!" Violet cried, running to hold her Pokemon. "You are the most beautiful Pokemon in the entire world! Indigo, be nice!"

"It's a Magikarp!" Indigo said incredulously. "You want me to be nice to it?!"

"_He,_" Violet corrected indignantly, "has feelings too!"

"He can't even talk!"

"Neither can most Pokemon," Violet retorted. "And maybe that's a good thing!"

"That's not what I meant," Indigo growled, ignoring her second comment. "I can understand Pokemon speech, but that thing just says 'Karp Karp'. It has a one word vocabulary!"

"Magikarp-karp!" Mr. Fin exclaimed, flopping around excitedly.

"What is it Mr. Fin?" Violet ignored Indigo completely and kneeled down next to the fish, listening. "I see. Okay then!"

She stood and brushed off her jeans. "He says he's ready to battle now, and that you should prepare yourself…Indigo? Hey, what's wrong?"

Indigo was banging his head on a tree. "I got captured…by a trainer…whose only Pokemon…is a _Magikarp_!" he moaned in despair. He was sure someone up there was laughing at him right now while eating popcorn. It was not _funny._

Indigo's head snapped up with a sudden thought. Wait. Gyarados were strong. Magikarp evolved into Gyarados at level 20 which meant…

"Forced evolution is the only option!" Indigo shouted. He lunged for the Magikarp before Violet could protest and kicked it. It sailed through the air with a cry of, "KAAAaaarrpppp!"

"Indigo, stop!" Violet complained, running after him. "Mr. Fin wasn't ready yet!"

~o~

Violet glared at the Lucario sitting sullenly against one of the trees in the small park. Indigo had managed to hit Mr. Fin with three Force Palms and a Quick Attack before Violet had called off the match. Poor Mr. Fin had taken it all without being knocked out, much to Indigo's anger. He had declared it a, "Stupid fish that didn't know when to faint."

"You did want me to battle it," Indigo muttered under his breath, unrepentant.

"_He_ wasn't ready yet. And you were being mean on purpose," Violet accused, glaring at the Lucario fiercely.

"He would have never been _ready_," Indigo insisted. "He is a Magikarp. He couldn't knock out a level two Rattata with the flu if he had a week to do it. I would suggest eating him, but he would probably taste like dry wood."

Violet merely glared at him, the full force of her defiant pout focused on him insistently. She didn't bother answering. After a moment he started to wonder if she was trying to incinerate his blasphemous words from existence.

Indigo sighed.

"I'm sorry for hitting the brain damaged fish. Forgive me?"

"NO!" Violet shouted, stroking Mr. Fins Master Ball protectively. "Not until you admit he's the most beautiful Magikarp in existence."

Indigo stared at her incredulously, the very idea turning his stomach. "You're serious," he deadpanned, meeting her amethyst eyes. Violet pursed her lips and nodded.

"How about this. I'll beat this gym leader for you, without Aura Sphere," Indigo suggested, half hoping that would suffice.

Violet raised an eyebrow. Indigo sighed grudgingly. "And your Magikarp is…pretty."

Violet beamed at him happily, standing up as she clipped Mr. Fin's Poke ball to her belt once again. "It is still useless," Indigo muttered under his breath mutinously, shooting a glare at the sphere. Violet, thankfully, did not hear him.

Shadows graced the fiery sky, lengthening pools of deep blue that shot the sunset through with stains. The smoldering red of the sun seared defiantly at the edges of the horizon, but the inky darkness was growing thicker and bolder. It was getting late.

Violet had noticed too, her eyes strangely distant. "Come on," she said at last, turning away. "Let's go home. Brock can wait until tomorrow."

~o~

Violets home was not what he expected.

He would have understood a simple, comfortable home, perhaps with a sibling or two running around, and a brightly painted door. Violet belonged in a house with a sunny front yard with a porch, and maybe a swing, surrounded by modest, cheerful flower beds, overlooked by a large tree or two.

Her 'home', if one could call it that, looked disturbingly like a prison.

Bleak, straight walls rose up from the earth, grey and foreboding, broken only occasionally with small, unremarkable windows. The roof was not tiled. The entire construct looked like a block of cement and stone, more like a weapon than a living place. The yard had been replaced by concrete for the most part. One sad little tree graced the far corner, withered and small looking.

"You have…a very nice home," Indigo supplied, wincing slightly. He did not want to go in there.

Violet surprised him by laughing, a little ruefully. "Sorry about that. Totally creepy, isn't it?"

"Absolutely," Indigo agreed fervently, her nonchalance helping his nerves considerably. Violet unlocked the door with a sturdy looking key hidden behind a strange set of buttons. It swung open wide, squeaking slightly.

The house was completely dark inside. Indigo fought back another shiver. No wonder Violet spent so much time away from home. He found that he understood completely.

The main entryway was mostly undecorated. A single, large portrait painting hung just inside the door, of a stern looking man with receding tan hair. He had deep frown lines around his mouth, and deep set silver eyes that seemed to glare at him.

"My dad," Violet said, twisting up her face. "He works at Silph Co. One of the executive chair members actually. He lives in Saffron."

"You live here with your mother then?" Indigo asked, not wanting silence to fall.

She smiled a little sadly. "My mom passed away when I was really small. I don't remember her much, except that she was a trainer. My dad always said I look like her, but we don't have any pictures, so I have to take his word for it."

"I see," Indigo said after a moment, surprised. She lived alone in _this house?_

Violet walked down the hallway, flipping on every light switch she passed on the way, bringing a little bit of cheer to the dismal place. Indigo couldn't help but flinch. This technology was beyond him. He had never seen anything like it back home.

She walked through the strange monochrome and steel 'home' as though it was completely natural for her to do so, never once glancing askance at the wonders she summoned with the flick of a finger. Lights sprang from glass bulbs cheerily, and strange grills spat forth strange smelling air that was shockingly warm. The house itself hummed nasally, a constant irritation to his enhanced senses. The cold, crafted stones under his feet were in themselves marvels.

The future was strange, and cold…and terrifying. He stared with wide red eyes, his ears pricking side to side, as Violet walked. He shook his head to snap himself out of his stupor, hurrying to catch up. He did _not _want to be left behind in this place.

His…trainer, entered a huge room that he could only vaguely identify as a kitchen, due to the sink in one corner. Huge steel doors dominated one wall, under a row of cone shaped lights. Alien devices lined the dark stone counters, sprouting wires and flickering with tiny lights.

He had never been so tempted to run from a room in his life.

She pushed a bowl of Oran and Cheri berries towards him, "Unless you want some of Mr. Fins Pokemon food this is probably best. You're not supposed to eat people food you know."

Indigo stared at her incredulously, forgetting for a moment where he was. He fought back the sudden urge to grin, turning to the side as he snagged an Oran berry with one paw. Not supposed to eat 'people food' indeed.

Violet looked at him strangely for a second, before shaking her head. "You're strange," she informed him. "But I do like you. You're…I don't know, _human_ in a way."

Now it was his turn to stare at _her_. She laughed ruefully, blushing a little. "Sorry, sorry. That's probably an insult to Lucario-kind or something. Humans…they can be pretty bad. You're not bad, just different I guess…what?" she asked, her forehead scrunching up as she took in his open mouthed look.

Indigo shut his mouth. He turned away, trying to ignore the rush of emotion that came with the reminder. If only she knew. Bad was just the beginning with what he'd been through. He ached with homesickness, despite the stabbing pangs of guilt that accompanied it. If only she _knew_…

And what if she did?

"What if I was?" Indigo started cautiously. "Human. What then?"

Violet considered this. "I wouldn't be able to talk to you? And you wouldn't have the cool eyes?"

Indigo took a deep breath. She wasn't taking him seriously. _Who would_? "And…if I was a bad person? If I had hurt people?"

Violet blinked at this, caught of guard by his intensity. She looked almost cautious as she answered. "Then…I wouldn't care. Well, I _say_ that, but it's mostly because you're not. A bad person, I mean. Er, bad Pokemon? How _would _you say that…"

She didn't know. But then, she had just met him. He didn't exactly _want_ her to think badly of him, but all the same…

They were going to be partners from now on. For better or worse. He couldn't lie to her.

"Let's say…hypothetically speaking…I was human," Indigo began, sighing. No sense in drawing this out. He sat down on the floor, disdaining the high stools that lined the counter. Violet set down the glass she had been holding, her eyes concerned. She sat opposite him without a word and Indigo was silently grateful. He opened his crimson eyes and began.

"Hypothetically, I am human. And…I'm not from here. I came from far away, about a year ago."

Flashes of memory assailed him, the very words sending him back. He could still smell the smoke, still see the red sky…still hear the screams.

Indigo closed his eyes, focusing solely on his story.

"Three hundred years ago, a very stupid boy fell in love with a beautiful girl," he began, the smoke and blood washing over him again. "The girl he loved was about to die, killed by a monster who would have ended her life with a smile. The boy was desperate. He used an ancient tool to summon Entei, the enemy of the kingdom, and set out to free his love. He…failed. Failed miserably in fact. Entei burned the city, aided by the monster, and the entire kingdom was placed in peril." Indigo let the words fall like weights in the sudden silence, accepting the burden that was on him alone, as he had done every day since being cast to the future. But Violet was still waiting. He took a ragged breath, finishing his story.

"The girl saved him, when he was bleeding on the ground, and tried to save his life. She brought him to a healer, but it was too late. He was dying."

Indigo opened his eyes, but didn't dare look up. He stared steadily at the tiled floor, his voice dropping slightly. "The boy destroyed a kingdom with his incredible stupidity. He did not deserve life. But the healer told the girl…well, the Princess actually, that there was one more chance. He could be saved, but only if he atoned."

Indigo raised his head, meeting Violet's stunned amethyst eyes. "He was cursed, sent three hundred years into the future, as a being of legend. His home and life were gone. The only chance the boy had to return and set things right was to break the curse the Ninetails had laid on him. He was tasked with two challenges. He had to first learn how to care. And to understand true strength. Only then could he return to the past, and save his homeland."

Silence fell as his words ran out. Indigo dropped his gaze. He waited, for her to say anything.

"I-Indigo?" Violet said, her voice very small. "You…I mean…"

"You can say it," Indigo growled, his voice rough. He deserved anything she said to him. He deserved her rejection, if it came to that. He waited for her words to fall, inadvertently holding his breath.

Violet sucked in a sharp breath. "You mean you really _haven't_ had a donut before? Oh Indigo, I'm so sorry!"

Before he could react she was hugging him, making consoling sounds in the back of her throat. He pushed her away, staring with something akin to shock at her face. "What?" she asked, confused.

He tells her he's a cursed warrior from another time, and she's upset because he's never tried a donut?

Indigo growled as he hit his forehead with one palm, over and over. Of _course_ he had to get the stupid one! There had to be brain damage involved. There _had_ to be.

"Hey, don't stop there!" Violet complained suddenly, her eyes sparkling. "How did you…er, _the boy_, find this tool to control Entei? And what about this Princess? Was she pretty?"

"I…well, I accidentally tried to use it as a weapon against evil rampaging Ursaring…" Indigo stuttered, completely thrown off by Violet's sudden…_enthusiasm_. "Riza is the most beautiful girl on the planet, and…er…"

"Ooooh," Violet whistled, her eyes sparkling. "Start from the beginning, okay? What about this _monster_ person? Did he have fangs?"

Indigo choked on a laugh with the thought. "You really want to know? _Everything?_"

Violet stared at him as though he was the fool. "Yes." she said simply, her hands in her lap.

Indigo scrutinized her, trying to decide if she was serious. "You…really bought all of that? Just like that?" he said warily, again questioning her intelligence.

Violet rolled her eyes at him. "You're a talking Lucario. Consider my mind very open on the subject."

Indigo could hardly argue with that.

"The beginning…well, the…monster…didn't appear right in the beginning," Indigo started, his mind going back about three hundred years. It had been a while since he had thought of the start. Back when things were…happy.

Indigo sat up straighter, and remembered sunshine and sunflowers, and gold that rivaled them both. "It started when I first met Princess Riza Calariam, during the summer when the world was still sane. I was even more of an idiot back then."

~o~

It was a normal, boring day, up until that boy stole a cage full of Eevee's right in front of Indigo's nose.

"Hey, wait!"

Those words, those simple, everyday words. In many ways, Indigo's life did not begin until he shouted at that thief.

"Those aren't yours!" Indigo shouted furiously. He ducked a weaved between pedestrians and shoppers, chasing the image of the fleeing boys brown hat. The sun was already making him sweat.

The boy holding the cage of mewling baby Pokemon ducked into an alleyway, and _stars_ was he fast! A drop of sweat trickled down Indigo's neck as he gasped for air and put on more speed, determined to catch up.

He skidded into the mouth of the alleyway, the sudden shade a relief from the sun. A high brick wall blocked off this particular alley…and it was nearly nine feet tall. Nowhere to run.

Indigo walked forward slowly, catching his breath. "You shouldn't steal kid. Those Eevee don't belong to you. How about we bring you to the owner, so you can apologize?"

The boy had gone very still at Indigo's words, regarding the wall. He took a deep breath, and flung the cage of Eevee high into the air.

"Hey!" Indigo shouted, grabbing for the boys pant leg as he vaulted himself, miraculously, over the wall, catching the cage of panicking Eevee with one hand by a bar. In a flash he had dropped down the other side, he cries of the frightened Eevee echoing behind him.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Indigo gasped in between breaths, staring at the wall. He was chasing a ninja. A _ninja!_

It took him a depressing twenty seconds to do what the boy had done in three, and a box to stand on no less, but he hauled himself over the wall, falling with an irritated growl to the other side. He ran to the mouth of the alley on the other side and was blinded by the sudden sunlight.

Hundreds of people milled through the streets. It was impossible to tell which way the boy had gone. The sun battered down on the cobblestones, sending waves of heat into the sky, and Indigo sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. So much for that.

Three heavily built men broke through the crowds, obviously looking for something. Their clothes were expensive, and in palace colors no less. Indigo followed them with his eyes as they fought their way through the crowd, thinking half heartedly rude things about people not from the city.

Of course, if he hadn't been watching them, his eyes would have never caught the flash of silver at the edge of the crowd. And he never would have noticed the boy, ducking out of the city gates.

"Hey!" Indigo shouted, throwing himself into the crowd once more. He fought through the tide of people, barely stopping to apologize as he banged elbows with a heavyset man. The boy disappeared around the corner, but Indigo gritted his teeth and kept pushing forward. Not again. There was nowhere to go past city limits, just empty sky stretching on until it hit the Whispermist forest, far on the horizon.

It felt like he was coming up for air when he finally broke through the endless press of people. Indigo broke free, staggering into the sunlit countryside, just meters away from the bustling city life. He walked more slowly now, his eyes scanning in every direction. The thief couldn't have gotten far.

Fields of sunflowers stretched as far as the eye could see, separated by a plain dirt road that cut through the fields. The sky was full of fat, lazy clouds, in no hurry to go anywhere.

The road was also empty.

Indigo narrowed his eyes. No one ran _that_ fast. Not even if he was a ninja mutant hybrid. The wind blew through the fields of flowers, carrying a soft noise with it, like the laughter of a child.

Indigo was pushing through the curtain of flowers before the noise even registered fully in his mind, straining to hear. The bristly stalks bent slightly under his hands, making the flower heads wave wildly about in the air as he cut through the jungle. Green light filtered through the tops of the massive plants, giving the entire place an air of mystery.

Just when Indigo was sure he had imagined the noise after all, he saw him.

The boy was turned away, petting a purring Eevee through the bars of the box sized cage. He laughed under his breath as the Eevee licked his hand.

"I've got you now," Indigo said grimly, grabbing the boys shoulder and spinning him around. Or at least, that's what he meant to do. The boy caught Indigo's arm before the words were out of his mouth and slammed him into the ground before he could think to respond. He looked at the boys hat, still clutched in his hand from his missed grab, and back at the boy. He gaped, his mind going utterly white.

"You're persistent!" The girl said, obviously impressed. Her hair fell down and down, until it hit her waist, the color of gold and amber and sunsets. Indigo's mind was still trying to process how it had all fit under that hat in the first place when she waved her hand in front of his face.

"Are you okay? Do you need a healer? You're pretty fragile for a guy, aren't you?" she said with concern, crouching down to peer at him. Her eyes were violet, and as deep as the sky.

"I may have fallen into a badly written shojo," Indigo responded darkly, sitting up with a groan. "How are your eyes that color?"

"Your hair is blue. No complaining," the girl said, rolling her eyes. She stuck out her hand. "My name is Riza. And before this gets any further, yes I'm a princess. How's that shojo coming now?"

Indigo grinned despite himself, grabbing her hand and pulling himself to his feet. "Getting worse all the time, your majesty. My name is Indigo. Now that the introductions are out of the way, how about telling me when you became a Pokemon thief?"

Riza's smile disappeared. Her eyes narrowed. "I did not steal them," she deadpanned, her hands on her hips.

"My mistake. You just grabbed them from that vendor and ran for _fun_, am I right?" Indigo said sarcastically, getting annoyed despite himself. Princess or no, stealing was just wrong.

"I…okay, maybe I did," Riza admitted, sighing. "Technically."

"You can't 'technically' steal, even if you are the princess," Indigo pointed out, raising one eyebrow. He wondered how on earth he was supposed to turn the _princess_ in for stealing Pokemon. He got the distinct impression he should have stayed in bed today. This was turning into a headache.

Princess Riza Calariam rose up to her full height, her eyes narrowing at his tone. "Oh? You're awfully high and mighty for a boy who can't even jump a wall! I tried to buy them from that man, and do you know what he said to me? He wanted to know what size I wanted my coat to be. I told him I wanted them _alive_, thank-you-very-much, and he laughed at me! Said the…the…_critters_, weren't for sale! If I hadn't taken them they would have ended up as a piece of ugly fashion for overweight women! As if I could let that happen!"

Indigo looked from the huffing princess to the Eevee's in the cage. The were currently _simultaneously_ giving him the biggest puppy dog eyes he had ever seen. Indigo groaned in defeat. "Fine, fine! You win, princess. But now what? Everyone knows the royal family is banned from owning Pokemon. You can't keep them."

"I can, and I will," Riza said smugly. "And you're going to help me."

"What the…why would I do that?!" Indigo spluttered indignantly. Riza's grin grew.

"If you don't help me, and I get caught, then you will be an accomplice to robbery. You have to help me. So there."

"How did I get sucked into this?" Indigo groaned, hitting his head with his palm as he saw her extremely flawed, but still valid logic. Riza wasn't listening. She had undone the locks on the cage with what looked suspiciously like lock picks, and was currently trying to pet five cooing Eevee at once.

She was so caught up with her new pets, she didn't see the final form in the cage. Indigo scooted an Eevee away with his foot so he could get closer.

What had to be the tiniest Eevee Indigo had ever seen in his life was huddled up in the very corner of the cage, its bushy tail covering its head.

His heart absolutely did not melt into a little pile of goo at the sight of the tiny Pokemon.

Indigo reached in, thinking for the first time that maybe this plan wasn't such a bad idea, and the tiny Eevee leapt for his hand and bit it with tiny, needle sharp teeth.

"That one is yours!" Riza beamed as he danced around the small clearing, trying to shake the determined little monster off his hand. "I just know we're all going to be friends!"

_~o~_

**A/N** There were a lot of great guesses for Violets Pokemon, but no one guessed right. There were a lot of great ideas, and I might use a few of those...hm... Yes, Violet has a Magikarp. Which she caught with a _Master Ball. _XD I have plans for her, that's for sure. And guess what? I actually have a little bit of a plan for future chapters now! Which means I actually know where I'm going with this now! 8D

So what did you think? It was fun for me to write about Riza, and I got a little bit done this chapter. No epic battles, but plot development. Yesh, epic battles are amazing. But plot development is a sad necessity...

And I'd like to give a big thank you to all of those who reviewed last chapter, it helped me write this one. I'm a little blown away by the number of reviews for the last chapter actually. This is a fandom that's a little dead for one thing, and people usually only read stories with character pairings. Basically, it means that you guys rock. :D


	7. Haunted Past

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, despite several failed takeover attempts **

~o~

Pewter City was a beautiful place, if one was looking for it.

Indigo admired the clean cut of the mountains across the blue autumn sky, the same mountains he had seen every day in the past…albeit from the other side. The air was perfumed with the rough scent of minerals and earth, made sharp by the chill in the air.

It was the perfect day for a battle. Or at least, it _would_ have been, if it weren't for…

"How about you do the talking? Violet suggested, her eyes lighting up. "Then I don't have to, and you can show off your awesome talent!"

"No," Indigo said patiently. "You wanted to challenge this Gym Leader, so you have to request a match. I'm not doing it for you."

"But Indigo!" his new trainer wailed like a five year old. "I can't! I'm no good with people! You do it, you know how to talk!"

"So do you," Indigo pointed out, "and besides," he continued, cutting off her protest, "you'll have to give orders in battle anyways. That requires speech."

"But…."

"No buts. You will request a match, and you will win. It's that simple."

Indigo hoped it was that simple. Could she even battle?

Violet looked on the verge of tears. Indigo sighed, changing tactics. "You talk to me. I'm human. So it's really no different. And Violet….you can do this. You aren't half as weak as you look."

"But you look like a Pokemon. It's completely different," Violet rationalized. She stopped. "Hey wait, I don't look weak!"

"Violet, please. You look like a shy schoolgirl who bursts into hysteric tears at the mere thought of blood."

"Do not!" Violet protested, looking for all the world like a pouting schoolgirl. She pushed him to the side, glaring.

"What was that? I take it back, you don't just look weak, you are weak. I barely felt that," Indigo said with a scoff. He dodged another shove, fighting back a grin. She was so easy to _tease_.

"You little…I'll beat Brock, no problem!" Violet declared angrily, her hands on her hips, the sight so comical Indigo had to fight back more laughter.

"Excellent. I will inform the Gym Leader immediately, miss…?"

A gym attendant with a clipboard stood in front of them, eye brows raised expectantly. Violet stared, freezing up.

"Violet," Indigo supplied. "When can we start?"

"Miss Violet then, to challenge Brock," the poor attendant repeated, his eyes going wide as Indigo spoke. "A-and her…Lucario. You are the first today, so you can start now. If you, er, want."

Indigo beamed at him, and was rewarded as the man took an involuntary step back. This was actually fun.

He checked on his trainer as the attendant walked away. She appeared to be dying.

"You did that on purpose!" Violet accused, covering her blushing face with her hands. "I…I didn't mean to…"

"You did fine," Indigo said, rolling his eyes at her. "But I'm glad to take credit for coincidence. Come on, let's go."

~o~

Violets heart was pounding so hard she swore Indigo could hear it.

Actually, he probably _could_ hear it. That would explain why his mouth kept twitching.

It had been so long. What f she had forgotten how to battle? What if she froze again? There was no Danny here to watch and cheer her on this time, because…

Violet cut the thought off violently, shaking her head to clear it. She struggled to breathe slower.

"Calm down." Indigo said seriously, breaking into her panic attack. "You have to be rational and cool in battle to effectively make calls."

Violet took another shaky breath at his words, trying to slow her raging heart. She could do this. She had Indigo with her. She straightened and her stride steadied. It would be alright.

The double doors leading into the battle area swung open, revealing a plain battle field in darkness. A spotlight flicked on, illuminating a lone man standing at the head of the gym.

"Welcome challenger!" the voice boomed. "I am Brock of the Pewter City gym! You think a little girl can defeat me? My rocky techniques will crush you before the battle even begins!"

Violet froze, her arms and legs locking up. This was it. Her first real battle. How on earth did she start?

Indigo looked at her out of the corner of his eyes and gave her a quick nod. She took a deep breath. Her head snapped up, fire in her eyes.

"_Go_."

"You bet I will!" Violet shouted, her head snapping up to reveal the fire in her amethyst eyes. "I'll take you down!"

Her voice echoed in the still room, making her jump with surprise. She could have sworn she saw Indigo laughing at her again.

"We'll see, girl." Brock pulled a lever and the ground began to shake.

"H-Hey!" Violet said, trying to keep her balance. Large stone slabs were moving to cover the field, covered in sharp boulders. She half stepped, half fell onto one of the slabs to avoid being squished in the middle. Indigo jumped neatly, grabbing onto the top of a boulder and hanging on.

The two plates met in the center with a crash, completing the rocky battle ground. Indigo let go of the boulder, landing next to Violet without a sound.

"This will be a two on two battle!" the referee called from the side. "There will be no substitutions. Let the match _begin!_" He raised a flag and swung it down to signal the start of the battle.

"Go, Golem!" Brock shouted, releasing the massive rock giant onto the field.

"I…um…" Violet stammered, her traitorous voice failing her entirely.

"Hurry up," Indigo growled. "Just make the call."

She had to send out a Pokemon. Indigo gave her a pointed look, trying to tell her something. But what?

"I…go, Mr. Fin!" Violet shouted, her face flushed crimson as she threw her Master ball towards the field, eyes squeezed shut.

Mr. Fin burst from his Poke ball regally in midair, looking as perfect as any Magikarp could. She caught her breath, admiring how his scarlet scales caught the light, and the royal, knowing gleam in his eyes, and…

Mr. Fin hit the stone battlefield hard, bounced, and hit the rocky ground again. "Karp Karp!" he called, flopping on the ground. "Karp-karp-karp-karp-karp," he repeated, hitting small rocks with every flop. Indigo was twitching, his head planted in his palm. Violet flushed, avoiding his eyes. She had been under pressure!

"You think you can beat me with that?" Brock verified, pointing to the flapping fish. He snickered, breaking into a sudden, suspicious coughing fit he tried to suppress.

"Mr. Fin, use Splash attack!" Violet ordered, her face still red. Brock had to grab his sides, gasping for air.

"Karp Karp Magikarp!" Mr. Fin called, determination in his fishy eyes. He stopped flopping, focusing all his power throughout his scaled body. Mr. Fin glowed white with strength, and he closed his eyes.

"Just what are you trying to do?" Indigo asked, exasperated. His eyes were trained on Mr. Fin, seeing something she could not.

"Mr. Fin isn't a normal Magikarp." Violet grinned as Mr. Fin continued to prepare his attack. "He's one of the Magikarp that can use powerful Splash attacks! All the Magikarp in the basin are stronger then normal, because they didn't get swept away by the strong current. And Mr. Fin is the strongest of all of them!"

"I see," Indigo said warily, watching the fish intently. "You're telling me that thing is actually _strong?_"

"Kaaaaarrrrp!" Mr. Fin exclaimed, slapping his powerful tail against the ground. He soared into the air, the Splash attack making him fly with enormous speeds. Indigo stared at him with shocked eyes, Violet with awe. Even Brock stopped laughing at the magnitude of the splash.

Mr. Fin hit the ceiling with a 'thwack!' and fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Mr. Fin!" Violet cried out, running to her partner. "You take a good rest, you deserve it."

"Magikarp is unable to battle! The challenger is down one Pokemon!" The referee announced, "There is one Pokemon remaining!"

"Oh, for the love of…" Indigo groaned from the side. Violet ignored him.

"Are you going to start taking this seriously?" Brock asked, "You'll never win, battling like that!"

Violet looked down, and clipped Mr. Fins Poke ball back on her belt. It wasn't over yet.

"Fight, Indigo!"

~o~

"Finally!" Indigo thought with exasperation, jumping to center field with all the practiced ease of a warrior. If he had to come second to a _Magikarp_ in every battle…

No matter. He could win with ease against this opponent.

He could sense a strong Aura in his opponent, both in Pokemon and trainer, but he was confident he could win this battle. He would start out with a Dark Pulse….

"Indigo, use Quick Attack!" Violet shouted. A physical attack against a rock type? Didn't this girl know anything?

He growled, but started gathering energy in his legs. He darted towards the Rock type at high speeds, his legs glowing white. He slammed against it at full speed, hitting it directly. The Golem didn't even flinch.

Indigo stumbled back, holding his head, growling incoherently under his breath.

"Sorry!" Violet called out apologetically. He whipped his head around to glare at her.

"Golem, use Tackle attack!" Brock ordered. The massive Rock type lowered its head and charged at Indigo, starting slow but gathering speed. With the distance between them, it would reach him about the same time it reached enough speed to squish him into an Indigo shaped smear. He lowered his center of gravity, preparing to jump.

"Indigo, stay where you are!" Violet called out frantically.

"You want me to what?!" he asked in disbelief, his mind going blank.

"Just do it!"

The Golem charged closer, hundreds of pounds of solid rock barreling towards him at high speeds. He was going to die, squished like a bug because this girl didn't know how to battle. He would be stupid to listen to her. But Riza had always said to trust in his Pokemon…he hadn't done that the night Karraket burned, and it had cost him dearly. Did it work both ways? Did he have to trust his trainer? Even if she was…Violet?

Indigo groaned inwardly, already knowing the answer. He closed his eyes and tensed, preparing himself for death.. The Golem was almost on top of him now.

"Indigo, use Force Palm!" Violet shouted at the last second. His eyes snapped open and energy burst from his palm, hitting the Golem squarely, stopping it in its tracks. It groaned, stumbling, but remained upright.

The force of the Golems Tackle had worked against it, raising the damage a direct Force Palm inflicted. If he hadn't been so close, due to the Quick Attack, the Golem would have gained too much speed to be stopped, and possibly killed him.

Indigo blinked in astonishment. Violet had had a plan?

"It's not over yet! Golem, use Earthquake!" Brock shouted to his Pokemon. Golem jumped into the air despite its large size. It crashed down to the floor, sending shock waves throughout the gym.

"Indigo, jump!" Violet called, falling to the floor with the force of the attack. Brock remained standing, apparently used to the shaking. Indigo jumped quickly, managing to get into the air despite the heaving floor, effectively avoiding the brunt of the attack.

He landed unevenly, the result of his hurried jump, landing on a sharp rock. His leg ripped into flames as blood dripped through his fur. Indigo grimaced, trying to distance himself from the pain.

"Now Golem, use another Tackle attack!" Brock ordered. The Golem began charging at Indigo for a second time. He tried to stand, but his leg refused to hold him, and he winced, falling back to one knee. That option was clearly out for the time being.

"Indigo, use Detect!" came Violets order. He slammed his fists together in front of his body, a glowing white bubble exploding from his core. The Golem hit the field with the force of a wrecking ball, the stress it put on the field sending a sharp stab of pain through Indigo's head.

"Use Dark Pulse, now!"

Indigo broke the glowing white field, gathering black, malevolent energy between his spiked palms. The Golem, not bothering with running this time, jumped directly towards him, two tons of rock determined to crush him into paste. Indigo's eyes widened with the force of the attack, releasing his Dark Pulse between them like a shield.

The two attacks met in a barrage midfield, screeching black energy striking the Golem head on, spilling to the sides of the Rock Pokemon, but unable to push it back. The attack broke, and the Golem emerged from the haze of black, hitting Indigo like a train.

Pain exploded through his body as he flew back through the air, unable to think. _So very strong!_

"Indigo!" Violet shouted, and his crimson eyes snapped open. Indigo flipped twice and landed on his feet, sliding backwards a few feet. His injured leg gave out, and he fell to one knee, panting.

The Golem stared at him levelly, still standing strong.

How could it still be standing?

Indigo had no sooner completed the thought when the massive Pokemon fell to the side with a groan, unconscious at last.

"Golem is unable to battle!" The referee announced, "The winner of this round is Lucario!"

Indigo's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. Violet laughed behind him, delighted.

"Don't think you've won," Brock warned, "Go, Onix!" A large Rock type burst from the Poke ball, filling half the stadium. It was made of huge grey boulders that glinted in the dusty air. It roared, the sound reverberating through the building. Violet covered her ears, looking frightened. Indigo winced, the sound much louder to his sensitive ears.

"Onix, use Dig!"

The long, Rock type snaked its way under ground, tearing a hole in the floor of the Gym with its passage. The gym went quiet.

"Indigo…" Violet started to speak before trailing off.

"I know," he replied, activating his Aura sense to better see the flow of blue energy. The four black appendages under his ears rose into the air, quivering.

Onix was coiled in a small cavern just underneath him. It tensed, and shot towards the surface. Indigo jumped seconds before the ground shattered beneath his feet, meeting the Onix with a powerful Force Palm that slammed into the center of its wide skull. It cried out in a roar of pain, shaking its head back and forth.

"Again!" Violet shouted, and Indigo leapt directly at the Onix's head, arm pulled back for another Force Palm.

"Onix, use Wrap attack!" Brock ordered, and the Rock Snake Pokemon wound itself like lightning around Indigo, crushing the air from his lungs. He cried out at the unexpected attack, the living boulders constricting around him even tighter.

"Indigo!" Violet called desperately. She clenched her teeth, eyes shadowed. Indigo panted, unable to get enough air into his lungs to reply.

His palms couldn't reach the Rock types hide. He couldn't breath. How on earth was he supposed to attack?

"Indigo, use Aura Sphere!" Violet shouted. His eyes snapped open. _What did she just say? _

"Indigo, do it now!"

She had better know what she was doing, Indigo grumbled to himself, gathering silver energy between his palms. The Aura crackled and boiled, strong and uncontrollable. He gritted his teeth, throwing the last bits of strength he had into the spitting sphere. He felt the burning need for air grow stronger as his strength faded slowly. His arms dropped, just as he lost control of the sphere and it burst into a blue white explosion of Aura, completely failing.

The Onix shrieked as the explosion hit, relaxing its coils enough for Indigo to jump free, sweet, _sweet_ air filling his lungs. It had actually _worked?_

"Now, Use Force Palm!" Violet directed, slashing through the air with one bandaged hand. Indigo let out a snarl that was more Pokemon than human and slammed his glowing palm into the Onix's middle.

It roared and fell to the ground with glazed eyes, hitting so hard the ground shook.

"Onix!" Brock called out, running to his Pokémon's side.

"Onix is unable to battle! The winner is the challenger, Violet!" The referee announced, holding a green flag out to the right. Violet fell to the ground, landing with her knees forward and her feet back in an odd sitting position. She had a disbelieving look on her face that was slowly changing into a grin.

"We won!" she exclaimed, her beautiful eyes bright.

"We won," Indigo confirmed, giving her a wry smile. He had done all the hard work, but still…she had done well. Remarkably so.

"Right, lets get you to a Pokemon Center," Violet said, standing with a no nonsense expression on her face.

"Hold it right there."

Violet squeaked and turned to face Brock. He had his arms crossed over his chest. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Um…I….er…" his ridiculous trainer trailed off, flushing furiously. Indigo groaned inwardly. _Her confidence had only lasted as long as the battle_.

"You can't leave without this," Brock handed Violet a gleaming metal badge, in the shape of a rocky prism. He grinned at Violets shocked expression. She held up the badge reverently, admiring the shine.

"You remind me of a trainer I once knew, Violet. I confer on you this Boulder Badge, an official badge of the Pokemon League."

"Thank you!" Violet squeaked, nodding her head at him. Indigo turned away and fought back laughter as the image of a schoolgirl came into his head again.

~o~

Terry knew something was wrong the moment he saw Violet.

The normally quiet girl was laughing at something her Lucario had said. Violet never laughed. And was she _skipping?_

This was not the Violet he had seen before. She'd been closed off ever since she had come to this town, not making any friends, or talking to anyone, really. No one knew what her problem was. No one knew where she had come from, or what had happened to her.

And now, here she was, the butterfly emerged from her cocoon. The real Violet had come out for the first time, and he intended to find out why.

It couldn't be solely because of the Lucario. No, this personality had to have been there the entire time, hidden from everyone. Violets mysteries ended here and now. He would find out the truth.

He whipped out his Poke gear and called a friend.

"Hey, Ben?"

"Hey Terry, what's up? I caught a Weedle in the Viridian forest a few minutes ago-"

"Not now Ben, this is important. Listen, I need you to do a background check on a girl named Violet. Where did she come from, what does she like, things like that."

"Who?"

"Quiet girl, black hair. Moved from Saffron a few years back. Wears jeans and a normal T shirt. Occasionally wears a baseball hat."

"Got it. I'll get back to you in a few with some info. I'm sure _someone_ knows something about her." Ben said with exasperation. "I'll call Allison, she knows bloody everything."

Allison was Ben's sister from Celadon. She could find out anything about anyone. "You do that," Terry hung up and sat, tapping his foot. His Flareon flashed out of its Poke Ball, looking bored, and sat near his foot. It yawned, exposing its sharp teeth and settled down for a nap.

Fifteen minutes later Terry got a call. He opened his Poke Gear with a snap.

"Go"

"Okay, you're not going to believe this. Violet is a rookie trainer with a Magikarp and a Lucario, but you know that. Anyways, she battled Brock about half hour ago, and won on the _first try_."

"So the Lucario won for her then?"

"Not from what I hear. But that's not the crazy part. Brock was her first ever official battle. As in, ever. That girl battles like a pro, but she has _zero_ personal experience. And I doubt she learned how to battle with that Magikarp of hers."

Terry whistled low, his eyebrows shooting up. "Where did she learn _that_?"

"Wait, it gets better. Word on the street is that Violets last name is _Hikanashi._"

"Like Kayto Hikanashi? The Silph Co. third in command?"

"His only daughter. And she apparently received three Master Balls for her 16th birthday about four months ago."

"Three? _Master Balls?_" Terry repeated incredulously, his opinion of the girl going up. "Who get's that spoiled?"

"I know. It's disgusting," Ben said with a sigh. "Terry…there's one more thing. Violet used to be friends with Daniel Knight. Best friends, actually."

Daniel Knight. Everyone knew _that_ name. "She _knew _him?"

"Yeah," Ben whispered. "She knew him. She moved to Pewter about two years ago, right?"

"Yeah, but-" Terry stopped, his eyes going wide. "You can't be implying she was involved with…"

"Think about it!" Ben whispered furiously. "She leaves Saffron at the same time, and comes here closed off. Doesn't talk to anyone. Like she's hiding something. What do you _think_ happened?"

"Enough," Terry sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Later, Ben."

"But-!"

Terry hung up the poke-gear.

He had wanted answers. He had certainly gotten them.

Violet was hiding something big. Something that changed everything.

That girl was not who she appeared to be.

~o~

"Violet, wake up," Nurse Joy prodded. Violet stirred, but didn't wake. The pink haired nurse smiled ruefully and set the girls twin Master balls in her lap. She would find them when she woke up.

Violet had come straight from her gym battle, and fallen asleep in a chair while waiting for the healing process to be finished. Nurse Joy thought for a moment, and set a bottle of disinfectant on her lap as well, in case she left as soon as she woke. That girl, honestly.

She was behind the front desk a few minutes later when he came in.

"Excuse me, Nurse? I'm looking for someone, a young teen with black hair. Have you seen her recently?"

Nurse Joy looked up from her work. The newcomer was well built, with an honest face. He had the most amazing orange eyes she had ever seen.

"You must mean Violet," Nurse Joy beamed. "Do you know her?"

"I'm actually her cousin," the young man admitted, scratching his head sheepishly. "But I seem to have lost track of her. She's always running off."

That was certainly true. "Violet is right through that door, in the waiting area." Nurse Joy explained, pointing to the door in question. "Will you need anything else?" she said helpfully.

"No," the boy said with a gentle smile. "That's all I needed. Thank you, Miss Joy."

~o~

Karo stood over Violets sleeping form. She had fallen asleep right in one of the chairs in an out of the way waiting room. Two Master Balls sat in her lap.

It was almost too perfect.

"Did you think I would let you get away with no punishment? Violet?"

The sleeping girl didn't react, her face exhausted, even in sleep. Karo smiled fondly at her. "Don't worry, I won't kill you," he said aloud. "And I won't take Lucario from you. It has proven to be…incompatible with my fighting style."

He leaned in, studying her face. "But you managed to humiliate me, girl. And that is unforgivable." He pulled out a Poke Ball containing an Abra he had caught earlier in the day. It was weak, but it would serve his purpose. He released the small gold Pokemon from its confinement.

"Abra, if you complete one task for me, I'll release you. Do you understand?"

The Abra perked up, alert. It had grown to dislike its Master, even in the short time they had been together. "Abra," it said, nodding.

"Good. Teleport this girl into the location on this map. If you do that, I will free you." Karo promised, a glint in his eyes. He held a map of Kanto out to the intelligent Pokemon, a red circle around the location he had in mind.

"Abra, Ab!" The small Psychic Type braced its hands against Violets legs. The two started to glow in muted white and gold fire. Violets eyes flickered open slowly.

"What…" she murmured, half asleep. Her violet eyes snapped open when she saw his face. "You!"

She and the Abra disappeared with a golden flash, leaving nothing behind but the taste of metal in the air. Karo smiled, his orange eyes kind.

"You and your Lucario will be tested beyond what any rookie could hope to survive. Have fun in Cerulean Cave, Violet."

~o~

**A/N **Ha! I fixed it, see! :D And now for the next one...DDDDX

In this note I'd like to give a thank you to a reviewer named Kayto, who went through a little while ago and reviewed _every chapter_. Good, detailed reviews. And, since Kayto is an Anon review, I couldn't respond in any way. I have chosen to thank him by using his name in the story, as Violets father.

Alright, you know the drill. Loved it, hated it, think it needs improvement, just let me know. I'll try to be better about responding to reviews now...yeah, I've really sucked at that. I will do better. Probably. Again, thank you for reading this far, you guys rock. :)


	8. The Madness Within

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, or a gold plated jet. Yeah, I know, disappointing. **

**~o~**

_A new presence._

Mewtwo cracked open an eye. That could not be so. No one entered this cave.

And yet it was. A girl no less, with a strange Pokemon. An _injured_ girl, with laughably weak Pokemon.

They could not possibly survive. Perhaps he should help them. But no, there was only one reason trainers entered this cave. The girl wanted strength, and that would not happen if he assisted in any way. She would be no threat, not to him.

The strongest Pokemon in the world closed his eyes. But he kept a small piece of his attention on the girl. Just in case.

~o~

Violet watched with shocked eyes as Karo and the Pokemon center disappeared. The image distorted, melting away until with a burst she was staring into the depths of a dark cavern.

Where was she?

"Hello?" Violet called into the inky blackness. Blue-green crystals jutted into the air, glowing faintly. An echoing drip sounded forlornly through the cavern. "_Hello? Hello?"_ her own voice taunted her as the sound bounced.

Suddenly, wings were in her face flapping wildly as claws raked her skin. Violet shrieked, covering her head with her arms. A bright flash lit up the dark, blinding her, and Violet was thrown to the ground.

She looked up past the wind of beating wings, shrieking echoing in her ears. Indigo was in front of her, holding back a massive Golbat with nothing but his paws. It sank its fangs into his neck and her partner growled sharply, firing a Dark Pulse into the Golbats wing. It flew away disjointedly at the attack, still screeching angrily

Indigo touched his shoulder and winced.

"Indigo! Are you okay?" Violet stood and ran to his side.

"I'm fine," Indigo said, waving her off. "Where on earth _are_ we?"

"I don't know," Violet whispered, her answer sending cold chills down her spine even as her voice echoed quietly around them.

Her foot scraped against something on the ground. A bottle of disinfectant, and her two Master Balls lay at her feet. She picked up the two lavender balls with a cry, holding them tightly. Nurse Joy must have set them near her before she disappeared. She clipped Mr. Fins Master ball to her belt and placed Indigo's now empty sphere next to it.

"How were we sent here? And by who?" Indigo growled, taking in the black stone and strange cerulean crystals.

"I saw that man again, before we disappeared. The one who…anyways, I don't know if it was actually him who sent us here," Violet admitted. She bit her lip.

A small movement caught her eye off to her left. Indigo moved faster than she did, grabbing the intruder in an instant.

"Here's your answer!" her Lucario snarled, holding the bronze Abra by one foot. "Tell us why you brought us here!" he demanded furiously, shaking the small Pokemon.

The Abra struggled and started to glow. Indigo's eyes narrowed. "I don't think so," he snarled, hitting the teleporting Abra with a Force Palm. It stopped glowing with a cracking sound.

"Abra! Ab abra abra!" it cried, seeing that it could not get away. "Abra abra, abab ra!"

"_What?_" Indigo snarled, his voce cracking like a whip in the sudden silence. The Abra shimmered with power, whatever Psychic attack it had used making Indigo hiss, loosening his hold on the creatures foot.

The Abra teleported away before it even hit the ground, leaving behind a metallic tang in the air.

"We have to get out of here," Indigo said sharply, looking around the cave as though seeing it for the first time. "It's not _safe_."

"What?" Violet asked, her forehead creasing. Indigo ignored her, casting his eyes about for an exit. "Indigo, _what_?" she repeated, exasperated.

"This cave is forbidden. No one is allowed inside," Indigo explained, throwing a glance at her. "The Abra claims the cave is full of monsters."

"M-monsters?" Violet repeated in a perfectly rational, totally non squeaky voice. "What kind of monsters?"

"I don't know," Indigo said grimly. "But Violet, we have to-"

"Indigo, look out!" Violet shouted, her eyes going wide with horror as a whip-like tail snaked from the darkness, catching Indigo across the back mid-word.

Their attacker emerged from the darkness, hissing menacingly. Violet stared, her eyes going up and _up_ as the Arbok reared high. It had to be seven feet tall, _not_ including the tail still on the ground. Deep purple scales extended n a mesh across its sinewy body, so fine she could barely see them in the faint crystal glow. Strange patterns danced across the hood of the snake, mesmerizing her as it swayed back and forth.

"Oh," Violet said faintly. "_That_ kind of monster."

"Violet, snap out of it!" Indigo shouted at her, streaking past her to ht the snake with a powerful Force Palm. It drew back, hissing, and shot purple spikes from its gaping jaws, barely missing her partner's body. Indigo spun, firing a Dark Pulse at the Arboks patterned hood.

Violet gasped as though coming up for air, the illusion breaking as the Arboks hood moved from view. She shook her head, trying to stop the trembling in her arms. She hadn't even _realized_ she was under that spell, not until…

"Violet, get out of here!" Indigo shouted again, grimacing as the snake whipped its tail around his body, squeezing tight. Indigo ht the snake with Force Palm after Force Palm, but the snake didn't even seem to notice.

"Get out now," he gasped, his wide eyes meeting hers. "_Now, _Violet, get out!"

"Don't turn into a martyr on me!" Violet shouted, her dark hair waving. "I'm not leaving!"

She blanched as the Arbok whipped its head around to glare at her. There had to be something she could do…anything!

Violet's eyes hardened. She grabbed the disinfectant bottle from the ground, running headlong towards the deadly Pokemon. She pulled the cap off the bottle and pushed the release.

The Arbok shrieked as Violet swept the disinfectant across its exposed eyes, rearing back with agony. It released Indigo and struck like lightning, sinking its hand length fangs deep into Violet's arm, coming out the other side. She screamed with the sudden pain, as cloying fire ripped through her veins.

"Get away!" Indigo shouted, charging a powerful Dark Pulse. He fired it directly at the Arboks pointed head, then a second.

The Arbok hissed and slithered away in the blink of an eye, back into the darkness. The only noise in the cave was the sound of Violets' labored breathing.

"Violet! You idiot, what were you thinking?" Indigo said, alarm coloring his voice as he knelt next to her. He hissed when he saw the blood.

"Look. We match!" Violet said with a shaky laugh, holding up her injured arm. She winced at the movement. Ow.

"Not funny," Indigo growled, glaring at her fiercely. "We have to get out of here. These Pokemon…no, the entire Aura of this place is dangerous. We need to move, find somewhere to hide until we can find the exit."

"Sounds good," Violet said, nodding. "Hold still," she ordered, spraying half the remaining disinfectant on Indigo's injured shoulder. He didn't even wince at the sting, his eyes watching her intently.

"Get your arm too."

"I will, I will," Violet promised. "But first let's get to a safe place. It'll take forever for me to unwrap these bandages."

Indigo paused before nodding sharply. He closed his eyes, and the four appendages on his head rose in the air, quivering. He grabbed her hand, and led her into the deepest parts of the cave. The ceiling dipped, until they were barely able to stand. Still, Indigo led on, stopping occasionally to avoid wild Pokemon.

After a few minutes of blindness they broke into a tall cavern with a slow moving river going through the center. Cerulean crystals winked and glowed slightly on the walls and under the water, muted and strange.

"Here," Indigo said at last, opening his eyes and restoring his normal vision. Violet sat down in the small cave with a groan, before the word was out of his mouth all the way. She began methodically unwrapping her arms, trying to ignore the number of small cuts. Finally, she unwrapped the area surrounding the Arbok bite. Indigo picked up her arm silently, staring at the damage.

The fang marks were small, but the skin around them was inflamed with angry red and purple. The nearby veins were thick and dark, a horrible contrast to her pale skin.

"Please tell me you have an Antidote."

"Ah…no," Violet admitted. She had never gone out of the Pewter city area on her own, and had avoided the Poison type filled Viridian Forest. Antidotes were never necessary.

"Not good," Indigo breathed. "Arbok venom is deadly. We need to leave _now_."

"Wait. _Deadly_?" Violet repeated, her heart rate spiking.

"Violet! Calm down," Indigo ordered, his voice steady. "If you raise your heart rate the venom will spread faster."

"R-right," Violet said, taking a deep breath. She had to believe that it would be okay. She took another shaky breath. Right. Just fine.

"Good," Indigo approved as her heart slowed. "Now, just try to relax. I will get you out of here."

Heavy footsteps echoed outside of the twos hiding space. Indigo froze. Violet's eyes widened and she tried to quiet her breathing.

She was still for what seemed like forever before the Pokemon began lumbering away again. She breathed out in relief. They couldn't handle another opponent right now. She felt weak, and her arm was throbbing with every heartbeat she had. And Indigo had been bitten by a Golbat.

She was so very tired. Violet yawned.

"Oh no, none of that," Indigo said, glaring at her. "That's how Arbok venom kills. You fall asleep, and never wake up. Fight it until we get out. Understood?"

"Kay." Violet said with another yawn. Her eyelids felt heavy. Deep lethargy pulsed through her body slowly, warm and intoxicating.

"Violet!" Indigo said, shaking her shoulder. Violet tried to listen to him. She really did. But her vision was strangely hazy…

No. Violet shook her head sharply. She _would_ stay awake.

"Violet, would you like to hear more about Halleden?"

Violet jumped slightly, caught off guard by his suggestion. Halleden. "And Riza?" she affirmed, coming more awake.

"Yes, and Riza. Just stay awake so you can listen, alright?" Indigo urged. It felt strange, suddenly, to be talking to a Pokemon. Violet giggled, lightheaded.

"Yeah, okay," Violet said with a smile. She would learn more. That was worth staying awake for.

"Then let's begin," Indigo said with relieved eyes. "It was quiet for a few months after our first meeting. I trained with the Princess, and soon we both became strong."

~o~

"Aren't you going to battle me?" Indigo said wryly, sitting under a tree next to Riza. Her golden hair was splayed on the ground next to her head as she looked up through the sun dappled leaves.

"Let's take a break today. The day is too perfect to work," she yawned, rubbing her Espeons head. It arched like a cat under her gentle touch.

"Because that logic makes sense," Indigo said with a laugh. He couldn't help but agree with her though. It was a quiet, summer day, the leaves just beginning to change colors. The world seemed to be turning slower then usual today; even the clouds drifted by lazily. He leaned his back against the thick trunk of the oak tree, arms crossed behind his head. He felt himself starting to drift off to sleep.

"Hey…Indigo?"

"What is it, Princess?"

"Didn't I tell you to call me Riza?" she said with a wry grin.

"About a hundred times." Indigo grinned back at her. "So what is it?"

Riza pulled herself up to a sitting position and pulled a small leather bag from her pocket. She undid the drawstring and emptied it.

A shimmering golden stone lay in her hand, as clear as glass, encasing a copper bolt of lightning.

"You found one?" Indigo asked, sitting up. Riza had a Flareon, Vaporeon, and Espeon, and most recently, an Umbreon. She had been searching for a Thunderstone the entire summer.

Riza shook her head, surprising him. "No, I want to keep my last Eevee how it is. It reminds me of the first time we met. So why don't you use it?"

"What, me?" Indigo laughed out loud at her. "Why?"

"Yeah, you. Who else?" Riza laughed, shoving him playfully. "Your Eevee is strong enough to evolve, and you can finally give it a name. Like Static, or Thunder or something."

"It already has a name," Indigo muttered, thinking about the evil demon he owned.

"'You evil little monster' is not a nickname."

"Why not?" Indigo demanded.

"Because it isn't cute!" Riza stuck out her tongue at him.

Indigo rolled his eyes at her, although she did have a point. A proper name might not be a bad idea.

"I'm naming my last Eevee Coco," Riza confided, her eyes lighting up. "Like that new drink that's all the rage nowadays. I think I'll keep these five, and save one spot on my team just in case I find something irresistible. Like a Mew!"

"Mew isn't real Princess, its just a legend," Indigo replied absently. How would it be, having a Jolteon? Maybe if his Eevee evolved it would get bigger. He snorted. No use getting his hopes up.

"So what do you say? Do you want a Jolteon?"

"Let's let that little monster decide," Indigo said with a grin. He unscrewed the top of the Poke ball given to him by Riza and threw it into the air.

"Come on out, Eevee!" The unearthly glowing formed into a small Eevee covered in soft brown fur. It saw Indigo and let out a cry of joy, jumping to attach its small claws to the side of his face.

"Gah!" Indigo cried out, trying to pry the affectionate Pokemon away.

"Vee, Vee!" the Eevee sang, rubbing against him. Riza was no help, laughing at the show.

"Get off me little monster!" Indigo yelled, finally ripping the small bundle of fur from his face, along with no small amount of skin. He held the Eevee under its front legs, its fluffy tail hanging below. It cocked its head, its ears tipping to the side, as though it had done nothing wrong.

Indigo sighed, used to the Eevees antics. He set the Pokemon down and picked up the Thunder Stone.

"Alright you little monster, here's the deal. If you touch this stone, you'll turn into a different Pokemon called a Jolteon. It will be a little hard to get used to, and I'm sure this is a tough decision for you, but….hey, wait!" Indigo protested, as his Eevee leapt for the stone with fangs bared. It bit and worried the rock, growling the entire time.

Indigo felt static arcing up his spine as his Eevee began evolving. The small Pokemon started to grow, spikes protruding from its white form. Its fluffy tail shrunk and became lightning shaped.

With a flash of light the evolution was complete. Jolteon stood one foot high, slightly bigger than in had been as an Eevee, and was covered in yellow and white spikes. Its white teeth had gotten longer, complete with wicked serrated points. Small static sparks jumped across its sharp form.

It looked bloody terrifying.

"It's so cute!" Riza squealed, picking the monster up. She jumped as she was shocked by static. "Those sparks pack a punch!" she said with a laugh. The Jolteon purred contentedly, perfectly well behaved being held by the elegant princess. Traitor.

"That thing? Cute?" Indigo repeated incredulously. "It looks like it eats people." He wondered if they were looking at the same Pokemon.

"You're being too harsh dontcha think Indi…go." Riza trailed off, looking at him for the first time since Jolteons evolution. She started laughing, pointing at his head. Her Espeon, Miko, looked between them in confusion.

"What? Indigo asked, touching his hair. It was standing up onend from the static, fluffy and giant. Was it because he had held the Thunder stone during Eevees evolution?

"Your…hair…" Riza choked out over her gales of laughter, "It's huge! Oh Indigo, you look _awful_ with an afro!"

"This is your fault you little monster!" Indigo yelled, picking up the smug Lightning type. It let loose a wave of electricity, zapping its master. Indigo fell to the ground twitching.

"Indigo!" Riza went to his side, shaking his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

He groaned and stirred, pulling himself up on one elbow. He glared at his new Jolteon. It licked its paw contentedly, lightning crackling between the ends of its spiky fur.

"Good. I thought I'd lost you there," Princess Riza laughed, "Your Jolteon sure does spark a lot. Hey, why don't you name it Sparks?"

"I was thinking 'Spawn of Satan', or 'Demon'," Indigo grumbled, glaring at his spiky new partner. This had clearly been an awful idea. But Riza had looked at him with those eyes…

Jolteon looked at him happily, its ears lopsided. It was still sparking, although a bit slower now.

"Maybe…Sparks would be a good name," Indigo said thoughtfully. "What do you say…Sparks?"

The small Jolteon jumped on his shoulder, rubbing its spiky head against Indigo's cheek.

"I'd say he likes it," Riza said with a smile. She coughed suddenly, the sound ripping from her throat like sandpaper.

"Are you alright Princess?" Indigo asked in concern, setting Sparks down on the grass.

"Just a cough," Riza assured him, reaching out to pet Sparks. The moment her hand touched the Jolteons fur she coughed again, like she was choking on her lungs.

Riza's eyes rolled back in her head, and she collapsed in a heap.

"Riza!" Indigo shouted, forgetting to call her princess in his sudden panic. In an instant he was at her side, his hand on her forehead.

She was burning up. As he watched, blood dripped from her nose, the scarlet marring her pale skin.

What on earth had _happened_?

Riza's eyes snapped open just when he was about to send Sparks for help. She put a hand to her head and sat up, a frown on her face.

"Weird," she muttered. "What just happened?"

"Are you…alright?" Indigo checked, his forehead scrunching up as he waited for her to collapse again. She seemed fine. Now.

Riza eyes widened as though she had just realized something. Then, her entire face closed off. "Nothing," she said shortly, wiping the blood from her face with the back of her hand. "Don't worry about it, okay?"

"As if," Indigo growled. "What happened?"

"Drop it, please?" Riza begged, her eyes pleading.

Indigo hesitated. "You are…alright, aren't you?" Why did her eyes have to be so huge? She wasn't playing fair.

And Riza nodded, her violet eyes kind.

_~o~_

Violet's eyes stayed open throughout the entire story. Indigo couldn't help but be relieved, though he knew they weren't out of the woods yet. Arbok venom would slow her heart, bit by bit, until she finally fell asleep…

"You had a Jolteon?" Violet asked, breaking into his thoughts. She seemed to find this funny.

"That's right. I had five Pokemon actually, by the time I…left," Indigo answered, slipping his eyes closed. He had to find an exit. This was serious, much more so than her cuts had been. That idiot, getting injured _again_.

"And you were friends with the Princess?"

"Yes. We were very good friends," Indigo replied, eyes still closed. Was that…an exit? It was far away.

Too far. They needed another option.

"Indigo." Violet whispered, her eyes intent. "The Princess…she wasn't alright, was she?"

"No," Indigo admitted slowly, opening his eye. "She wasn't."

~o~

Indigo felt like an idiot. Here he was, trying to help a friend, and he got lost. Horribly lost.

"Why is this place so big anyways?" he sighed. This wasn't as easy as he'd hoped it would be.

The annual Show of Colors was underway. Halleden was famous for its beautiful art, and every year, each town would send it's most beautiful creation of the year to be judged in a countrywide competition. It was a week long holiday for most people, with vendors and games in the streets. The winning town and artist received a large sum of money in gold. The heir to the throne bestowed it on the winner in a cloud of flower petals and cheers, in the crowning of the champion.

But this year, Riza had decided to let her younger brother have the honor of awarding the prize in her place. Why?

Because the Princess was feeling sick.

The King and Queen had announced that it was just a mild cold, but Indigo knew better. There was no way his Princess would miss a chance to be near her people because of a cold. She would put her subjects first and show up anyways, laughing the whole time. That was Riza. So for her to miss this…

Indigo gritted his teeth and tried another door. She had to be very sick indeed. And it was probably related to the strange, quick bouts of sickness she'd shown over the past few weeks.

"Are all of the preparations complete?"

Someone was here? But everyone was supposed to be at the festival! Indigo flattened himself against the wall off to the side of a closed door. The voice was close.

"Yes my lord," a female voice whispered, from just behind the wall. "Everything is going well. Your infiltration was flawless."

"Excellent work, Mayanna," the mans voice approved. "You've done well, my dear. Now, shall we?"

"Of course."

The doorknob turned slowly. There was nowhere to hide in the long hallway. The door creaked open, and a dark haired man walked out with one of the palace's maids.

"Oh?" the man said, his eyes dancing at the sight of Indigo cowering against the wall. He had been trying to blend in, actually. "And who do we have here?"

Indigo flinched. He couldn't be thrown out now. Not before he saw her. "I-I'm a servant?" he tried, wincing.

"Liar. Would you care to try again?" the man offered, a half grin gracing his face.

"Er…I, well actually, I work for-"

"Wrong. Once more, perhaps?" Indigo decided he hated the dark haired man then and there.

"I'm here to see the princess," Indigo sighed. "I'm not exactly supposed to be here."

"Very good!" the man approved. "The truth at last. I'm actually here for the same reason. Shall we go together?"

"S-sure," Indigo agreed cautiously, deciding it would be a bad idea to anger the man. His eyes and hair matched perfectly in color, Indigo noticed disconcertingly. Black and black. So very creepy.

"Follow me," the man said, fighting back a smile at Indigo's obvious reluctance. The brown eyed maid watched him blankly as he followed the man, finally falling into step behind him.

Who was this man? And why on earth was he in the castle? It was supposed to be deserted today, a fact Indigo had been counting on. Did he know what was wrong with Riza?

"We're here," the man said, breaking into his thoughts. Indigo started, cursing himself for lowering his guard.

The thick oak door was already open. Indigo walked hesitantly inside. The stranger stepped aside to let him enter first.

"Princess?" he called out hesitantly. "Are you alright?"

The figure on the bed didn't stir. He walked slowly to the bedside and drew back the misty drapes.

"Princess!" Indigo whispered in horror. Riza's face was as pale as death, with the exception of her burning cheeks. Dark shadows clung under her eyes, and more strange dark markings twirled across her face like living tattoos.

She didn't stir. Panic seized him.

"Princess! Wake up!" Indigo called frantically, shaking the still girls shoulder. "Please, princess!"

He had seen her less than a week ago. She had been fine. Her strange bouts of illnesses had been more frequent, but she insisted it was nothing, and…

And like an idiot, he had believed her. And now she was possibly dying.

"She has been like this for three days, in and out of unconsciousness," the man said from behind, reminding Indigo of his presence. "My name is Doctor Camellia. I'm here to save her life."

Indigo raised his head slowly, his blue-violet hair falling into his eyes. "Can you? Save her I mean," he asked cautiously.

"My lord can fix anything," the chestnut maid, Mayanna deadpanned. "Mere sickness is nothing. He can create perfection."

"Yes, that's right," the doctor said, cutting her off. "That's enough my dear, you're embarrassing me with your flattery."

"I apologize my lord." The maid said emotionlessly. Indigo stood slowly, his eyes never leaving his Princess. He would do anything to help her. Anything at all. And if this man could heal her, he would trust him.

"Please…do whatever you can for her," he asked quietly. The black haired doctor smiled, almost sadistically.

"I wouldn't dream of doing otherwise."

~o~

Violet took a deep breath at the end of Indigo's story, her weakness fading slowly. Indigo had seen his friend dying in front of his eyes. He had seen. He knew then, what it felt like.

Indigo _knew_.

"Indigo…" she started, before trailing off, biting her lip. Was this really the time?

"We need to get moving," her Lucario growled. He stood in the small cavern, his ears brushing the black ceiling. He held out a hand to her.

Violet hesitated before grasping it and pulling herself up. The steel spike protruding from his hand was cool and soothing against her skin.

"Where are we going?" she asked, fighting back a yawn.

"I think I know a way to get you healed," Indigo explained. "I sensed the Aura of wild Chansey in this cave. If we can find one…."

"Then it can cure the poison!"

"That's right."

Violet smiled. Indigo thought of everything. She wobbled slightly as a wave of dizziness swept over her. Black spots flooded her vision. She planted her feet in determination, fighting back the weakness. She gritted her teeth and stumbled out of the small cave until she was facing the glittering river.

She stood to her full height. She could do this.

"Indigo, which way should we go?"

Indigo was standing just behind her with his eyes closed. He was still for an immeasurable period of time before looking at her with a grin.

"This way," he said, leading her to the rivers edge. "A Chansey is about a ten minutes walk from here, after we cross here. That will be plenty of time." He stared at her inscrutably. "Can you do it?"

Violet stared at the wide, lazy river. The ever present black rock made the water even darker in color. There was no way to tell how deep the river really was. But it wasn't too far across for her to swim. And it didn't seem like there was any real current.

"I can," Violet affirmed. Then she turned to meet Indigo's eyes. "But you can't."

She cut him off before he could speak. "You haven't tried swimming since you came from the past, have you? Your muscles are different. I can't risk you drowning."

The silence dragged on as Indigo fought the truth he already knew. "Have it your way," he growled finally, turning away. Violet pulled out her empty Master ball silently, and with a flash of light, he was gone.

Violet fought back another yawn, grimacing. She felt like she'd pulled an all-nighter, and it wasn't fun.

She took a deep breath and placed his both Master balls inside her pack. She clasped the bag shut, so nothing could float away, and pulled her arms through the straps. She was ready.

She would get them across, poison or no.

With no further ado, Violet dove into the dark water. Bubbles rose to the surface lazily, illuminated by the faint light of underwater crystals. Violet kicked for the surface. She broke through, drawing in a deep breath. The water was lukewarm and black, like swimming in blood.

_I can do this_, Violet thought, stroking through the water towards the distant shore. _No problem!_ Her wet hair clung to her face as she swam. She kicked a bit faster as the water began to get darker, a testament to the unknown depths beneath. She was nearing the halfway point of the river now.

It was then that Violet felt the current beneath her, running in the _opposite_ direction as the rivers natural flow.

Violet stopped, feeling small in the center of the wide black river. She was very still, all senses on alert for anything out of the ordinary. A cold feeling spread up her spine as the silence reigned.

"It's nothing," she whispered firmly to herself, shaking her head. She was just scaring herself.

Violet started cutting through the water again, relaxing. She had no sooner done so when the water in front of her roiled and exploded, a serpentine shriek echoing throughout the cavern like the screeching of tortured metal. Violet screamed, her hands over her ears as her eardrums threatened to blow out.

She couldn't see. A wet, sinewy body arced into the high roof of the center of the cavern, scales glinting in the faint light. Violet's eyes widened. It _couldn't_ be a-

A jet of water slammed into her from above like getting hit by a freight train. Violet hurtled end over end, her hand cover her mouth as she tried to prevent air from escaping. A few crystalline bubbles escaped between her fingers as she was forced deep.

_Gyarados!_ They were the most territorial, deadly Pokemon in Kanto. Swimming through waters with a full grown Gyarados was _suicide!_

Violet's lungs screamed for air as she stopped spinning. Which way was up? Blue crystals jutted from the sides of the river, illuminating the depths faintly. She could see the riverbed, still far below. Violet kicked up, struggling not to breathe in.

The Gyarados's scaled body hit her in a glancing blow from the side, sending her careening through the water a second time. Before she could settle, it hit her again, its scaled body surging past her like a torrent of water. Pain exploded in her side, and stars danced in front of her eyes. Violet saw the mottled blue dragon above her then, a golden Hyper Beam forming between its fanged jaws.

It was over.

The water exploded with light. Violet's eyes snapped open. The Gyarados shrieked, writhing with pain as blue light outlined its body like fire. The Hyper Beam arced uncontrollably through the hissing water, missing Violet by a few feet as it swept back and forth.

As though it had been hit by a powerful Psychic attack.

Violet stared. The Psychic dissipated with a crack, and the Gyarados streaked towards the deep, swimming disjointedly.

What had just happened?

Violet choked, her lungs reminding her that they were going to die, and Violet kicked for the direction she thought the surface was in with all the strength she had left. Warmth spread through her legs, cloying and sweet, and suddenly, Violet didn't want to fight anymore.

_The poison_.

Violet struggled to keep her eyes open as black crept in from the sides of her vision. She was almost there. So close.

_Do you remember that promise we made? One of us will be the Pokemon Master, no matter what. You can't break a promise like that, Violet._

Could it really end like this?

Violet's strength ebbed and faded away. She slowly stopped moving, and her vision clouded. She floated in one place, her hair floating in a fan around her face. She couldn't move any more. With a sigh the last of her air bubbled from her mouth. _I'm sorry._

She was vaguely aware of a second flash of light. Something nudged her towards the surface from below insistently.

And then her face was above the water, and Violet gasped, her instincts kicking in. She coughed, gouts of water spilling out of her mouth as she tried to breathe around it, choking on air.

"Magikarp-karp," Mr. Fin said, bumping against her fondly. Violet laughed weakly, her breathing ragged. She pressed her face against his cool scales, hugging her starter close. "Thanks," she whispered roughly.

Mr. Fin towed her to shore, helping her along as she tried to swim. She dragged herself onto the black stone gratefully, relishing the firm ground under her hands and the sweet taste of the air.

Violet pulled out Indigo's Master ball and pressed the release. He flashed into existence, his crimson eyes going wide as he took in her bedraggled state.

"What happened?" Indigo demanded.

"You couldn't hear? A Gyarados showed up, but Mr. Fin scared it away with his awesomeness," Violet laughed, crossing her arms behind her dripping head.

"Really," Indigo deadpanned. Violet smile brightly at him. His scarlet eyes narrowed in response, but he let it go.

"Not far now," Indigo said, changing the subject. "We need to hurry."

Indigo turned away, and Violet's smile faded. Hadn't he worried about her enough for one day?

Violet pushed herself to her feet, grimacing as her legs complained loudly beneath her, so relieved to be alive the Psychic incident completely fled her mind.

Just a bit farther.

~o~

"Indigo, use Quick Attack!" Violet shouted. Indigo danced around a wave of spores and charged into the Parasect, knocking it onto its side. The mushroom Pokemon lay still finally, knocked out after a long battle. Indigo was breathing hard, cautious respect in his eyes. It had been a bit too close for comfort.

"Good job," Violet said around a yawn. Her head felt muggy, too warm. Sleep sounded like utter bliss. Violet pinched herself, the spark of pain helping her focus. "How far?"

"Very close," Indigo said with satisfaction. "A wild Chansey is just ahead."

"Excellent," Violet grinned. A wave of dizziness hit her, sending to her knees, panting.

"It's not far now," Indigo said gently, concern in his eyes as he lifted her back to her feet.

"Y-yeah," Violet replied tiredly, swaying a bit. It was getting hard to remember _why_ she had to stay awake. It wouldn't be long before she wouldn't remember anything, at this rate.

Violets eyes went wide as her feet were swept from underneath her. "Indigo!" the dark haired girl protested. "Put me down!"

"This is faster. You can barely walk. So stop complaining and concentrate on staying awake," Indigo growled at her. He was right. Violet fell into sullen silence, pouting. It didn't get more undignified than being carried like a five year old.

She sighed, promising herself it was a one time thing. She was grateful for the respite from walking, despite the blow to her pride.

All she needed was a quick rest. And _oh_, she was so tired! It felt like she couldn't stay awake a second longer. Violet's injured arm beat with her heart, numbed and dead feeling.

So very tired.

~o~

"Stay awake, Violet," Indigo reminded the drowsy girl. Her eyes snapped open, and she struggled to keep them from drifting closed again. It was a losing battle. Indigo could see that.

They needed to hurry.

He shifted Violet in his arms so he could run. Just a minute longer, and they would be there. Indigo winced, trying to ignore the bite on his arm. It was sapping his strength still, due to the Golbat poison. Luckily for him, the different poison affected him differently. Or maybe it was because he was a Lucario.

He would tell Violet about it later. Probably.

He activated his Aura vision, the rush of power intoxicating. The cave lit up with fire, veins of power running between glowing crystals, as though they were all linked. It was as though the crystals were a beacon, or alive themselves.

Indigo used his newfound clarity to put on more speed, dancing around rocky protrusions and holes he never would have seen in time before.

The Chansey was right ahead.

Indigo jumped down a small ledge, landing powerfully directly in front of the pink healer. He rose to his full height, holding her in front of his body as though she weighed nothing at all.

"Please, can you heal her?" he barked urgently. The Chansey blinked at him. It broke into a run, its round body swaying from side to side like an egg.

"Hey!" Indigo shouted, his voice strangled. "You little…"

The Chansey dodged around a corner, ridiculously fast, Indigo hot on its heels. He did not have time for this.

The Chansey tried to turn again, slowing for a brief instant, but this time Indigo was ready for it. He used the Aura enhanced strength of a Lucario, jumping neatly over the Chansy, and landing in front of it, cutting it off completely.

"Do not test me," Indigo snarled. "Heal her now!"

The Chansey blinked, and its smile grew unnaturally wide. Its features began to melt and droop, until a small pink blob lay on the floor.

"A Ditto?" Indigo said in disbelief, "All this time you were a Ditto?" The Ditto smiled and struck a pose.

It was no good. A copy could never have the knowledge it took to use healing powers effectively.

Another Chansey was in the cave, but it was nearly half an hour's walk, not including the time it would take to avoid wild Pokemon.

"Hey," Violet whispered weakly. "Why don't we go to the exit? It might be…faster."

Indigo looked down at the dark haired girl. She couldn't last much longer. It was amazing that she'd stayed awake as long as she had, actually.

"I found another Chansey. It's near the exit. So we'll head that direction either way," Indigo said grimly. It was half hours walk….so he would have to run.

"Let's go," he snarled, sprinting forward at his full speed.

Running had never been difficult as a Lucario. But then, he had never tried while poisoned before. Violet's weight was nothing, but even that was taking its toll.

Indigo dodged around corners, choosing paths that avoided water and wild Pokemon. Several times he disturbed Pokemon he could not have avoided, but before they could react, Indigo was gone.

When he saw the Chansey, his legs screamed with relief. Indigo skidded to a stop, his eyes flying open, sending the world spinning as his vision returned to normal.

"Can you heal her?" Indigo asked quietly, moving with exaggerated slowness in an attempt not to frighten the healer.

"Your friend is hurt?" the Chansey asked in a song like voice, cocking her head.

"Arbok poison," Indigo affirmed, setting Violet down so the Chansey could inspect her for itself.

"She is poisoned," the Chansey said quietly. "Much poison. Needs antidote."

"I know that!" Indigo growled sharply, his patience wearing thin. "Can you help her?"

The Chansey looked up at him with sympathetic eyes. "She is asleep."

Indigo inhaled sharply, his eyes going to her body. Her breathing was slow. A peaceful expression graced her features.

"Violet!" Indigo shouted, shaking her shoulder. "Violet, _Violet_!"

She did not respond, her dark hair falling to cover her face. Indigo reeled back as though burned.

He turned on the Chansey. "So get rid of the poison _now!_ Surely you can still save her!"

"The poison has spread far, and her circulation is slow," The Chansey explained. "Unless she receives an antidote from an outside source, or her heartbeat speeds up to normal levels, I can do nothing but heal the surface. Healing merely speeds up the natural processes of the body. It does not create them. She must have circulation."

"That's ridiculous," Indigo snapped. "You're telling me you can't heal without the right set of circumstances?"

"I am sorry," the Chansey said, bowing.

So she had to wake up then. "Wake up, Violet," Indigo growled shaking her. Her head rolled to the side. Indigo could barely hear her shallow breathing. It was slowing down.

"Didn't I say to stay awake?" Indigo demanded, "Wake up now!"

"_Princess! Wake up!" _

Violets eyes were still. She looked serene in sleep, as though she hadn't a care in the world.

"_Please, Princess!" _

"Violet," Indigo whispered in horror.

Everything he touched broke. Everything he loved burned. He had nothing.

He brushed her soft hair away from her face. She would never wake up now. He had failed.

"Saur, use Frenzy Plant!" a voice shouted, echoing through the caves. A boom rumbled through the caves as the attack hit.

Indigo's eyes snapped open.

"Good job, Saur. That's twenty now." the male voice congratulated, the sound getting closer. A figure rounded the corner.

Black hair and pale skin. The newcomer would have looked young had it not been for the set of his jaw and the darkness in his eyes. Eyes that seen too much, and knew even more. He wore a red baseball cap. His eyes went wide when he saw Indigo and Violet.

"Is she alright?"

"No," Indigo growled, looking away. She was beyond help now. The trainer's eyebrows jumped at Indigo's voice.

"What happened to her?"

"We were unprepared," Indigo growled, his voice rough. "The Pokemon here are too strong. Violet was poisoned, trying to save me."

"You should have known that, coming here," the trainer said, narrowing his eyes. "How did you get in? And why? Did you hear of a strong Pokemon perhaps?"

"You think we would come here on _purpose_?" Indigo hissed, glaring with crimson eyes at the boy. Grief darkened his heart. "Why? To steal Pokemon? Violet would never. You want answers, talk to the man named Karo."

The boy stared at him with those dark eyes of his, as though looking into his soul. "Alright," he said finally, nodding. "Show me the wound."

Indigo moved to the side, stunned by the power in the boys tone, revealing her blackened arm. The two stab points were red and inflamed, swollen to twice the normal size.

"Chansey, I'll need your help," the boy said calmly, holding her arm down. "I have an antidote. Never leave without them."

"You-" Indigo choked, his words breaking off. He had had an antidote this _entire time_? And hadn't said anything?!

"I'll do my best!" the Chansey sang, her small hands glowing cherry pink. The boy nodded, and started spraying.

Violet bucked, her body writhing as the antidote hit. She gasped, her face breaking into a cold sweat as she struggled, but the boy held her down by force, the spray never so much as slowing. The Chansey siphoned black liquid from the wounds as the antidote hissed on contact, steaming. Violets struggles slowed as normal color returned to her injured arm. Blood ran black from the puncture marks, the flow slowly becoming more red.

"That should do it," the boy said, nodding with satisfaction. "Get those cuts while you're at it, Chansey. On both arms."

"She…you think she will be alright?" Indigo asked hesitantly, barely daring to hope. The boy looked at him with a half smile.

"Your trainer will be fine. You two are lucky you ran into me. Must be fate!" the boy laughed as though it surprised him, too, marveling at the way the world worked.

Indigo looked down, his eyes shaded. "Thank you," he said roughly, his voice cracking. "_Thank you_." he jumped as the trainer sprayed something on his shoulder, the sting making his eyes water. His eyes snapped up to the boys, shocked, as the poison ebbed away.

"You think I'm not going to notice when a Pokemon is poisoned?" the boy asked, raising an eyebrow. He grinned. "Don't think so."

He could tell when a Pokemon was poisoned at a glance, and he was training in a cave full of monsters like it was nothing. Just who _was_ this boy?

"All finished!" the Chansey quipped, straightening. Violet's arms had been healed, the wound from the briars covered with new pink skin. The puncture wounds were nothing but deep white scars.

"She seems better," the boy noted. "I'm glad. You two should get out of here quickly, before something else happens. The exit is around that corner, and down the hall. Take the fifth left. Once you're out, head East to Cerulean city."

"Thank you," Indigo said fervently. If they hadn't run into this trainer…he shook his head, clearing it of such thoughts.

"Wait," he called out as the boy turned away. "Your name. What is it?"

The raven haired boy looked over his shoulder. "The name is Red. It's nice to meet you."

Indigo nodded, committing the name to memory. He turned towards the exit, and carried his unconscious trainer out of Cerulean Cave.

~o~

**A/N **Owwww. DX My head hurts. Anyone else see how long this is? I wanted to get it done without splitting it, and this is the result. My head has paid the price dearly.

The problem with fan fiction is how much fun it is. Every chapter has been longer, and more detailed than the one before, and I don't think it's gonna stop. Well, here's hoping I've improved. I sure hope so.

Btw, you reviewers for the last chapter? Thank you. So very much. I had a tough week, and you guys made me smile. So I dedicate the cave chapter to everyone who dropped me a review last time. I hope you enjoyed it!

I accept reviews, PM's, and cyber cookies in way of thanks for writing such freakish chapters. Thank you all!


	9. Deception Games

**Disclaimer: I did not invent pasta, or flippy hair. Oh, and I don't own Pokemon.**

**~o~**

Violet came back to awareness after what seemed like an impossibly long time. Dew and the fragrance of plants mixed together in the misty air, creating a soothing, cool scent.

Someone was also carrying her. Violet cracked open her eyes, and saw the black profile of a Lucario against the green light filtering down through the trees. Indigo's eyes went a little wider when he noticed she was awake.

"Are you alright?" he asked, setting her down carefully. Her legs felt refreshed and strong after sleeping. She felt so strange. Buoyant, like she was going to float away.

"I'm fine," she said with a smile. She stopped, her mind flashing back to the events in the cave. She couldn't remember. She looked at Indigo with confusion. "Indigo, how am I fine?"

"I reached the second Chansey," Indigo explained, his eyes strangely distant. "By the time I got there, you had already fallen…asleep. A traveling trainer saved your life."

A trainer. In that cave? Who on earth would go there of their own free will? "Did you get a name?" Violet inquired.

"His name was Red."

Violets mouth dropped open, "What did you just say? But Red is-" she broke off with a yawn, sleepiness filling her body. Her eyelids fluttered shut as darkness and red enveloped her.

"Don't worry," Indigo's voice came, echoing as though from a distance. "The Chansey said this would be normal. You need to regain energy since so much was used in the healing proc…"

~o~

Indigo stopped, rolling his eyes at her with a rueful grin. Her attention span was worse than usual, today. He grinned wider at his own joke, relief making him giddy.

He shifted the sleeping girl in his arms before jumping onto the green ridge above him, lit up brilliantly by the rising sun. Long dew coated grass covered everything in sight, so high it brushed his tail.

The sun threw rainbows into the sky above the light layer of mist that hung over the valley. Rivers arced through the grass, deeply blue, and unfamiliar mountains rose into the heavens, blurred by distance. A glittering city lay nestled between rivers and plains, a jewel hidden by nature and water.

Cerulean City.

Indigo jumped off the ridge, landing lightly on the padded grass. A sloping hill lay between him and the first river, and beyond that was the edge of the city itself. It wouldn't be long now. Rest and food were in order, for both of them.

If only he could forget the past. Maybe then he would be able to live happily here, with her. But some things could never be forgotten. Or forgiven.

Indigo shook his head to rid it of such thoughts. Everything had been so hectic lately. They could both use a break.

After all, what was the worst that could happen in Cerulean City?

~o~

When Violet woke for the second time, she was warm. Sunlight danced across her eyelids as a soft breeze caressed her face. She stretched her arms above her head, yawning. Her vision flickered blearily as she opened her eyes.

She was sitting on a park bench at the edge of a small field. It was humid, and pleasantly warm. Where was Indigo?

Screams caught her attention, and she found him. He was in the park, surrounded by a small horde of children. As she watched, he threw a tiny girl high into the air. She shrieked with delight, her cheeks red as she fell back into his arms, and promptly started pulling on his ears, giggling madly.

"No more," Indigo growled. The children oohed and ahhed as he spoke, completely ignoring his actual words. They clamored to be near him, reaching up with their tiny hands as if begging to be next. The girl he held laughed merrily, clapping her hands as though it was the greatest game in the world. A little boy grabbed Indigo's tail, making him bark with surprise.

Violet giggled.

Indigo's ears twitched. He turned to her, and the gratitude on his face was overwhelming as he disentangled himself from the children, to a chorus of "Awwww!" The childrens mothers watched fondly from the sidelines, helping distract them from his departure. Within moments they had transitioned to a game of tag.

"How are you feeling?" Indigo asked promptly, not bothering with a greeting.

Violet thought about this. "Hungry," she replied decisively. "Really, really hungry."

Indigo rolled his eyes at her, as though reminding himself how strange she was. "We'll get you some donuts," he promised, making Violet perk up, a grin on her face. "But only if you promise to take it easy today," he finished, a warning in his eyes. Violet nodded her assent quickly, her mouth watering.

"Hey, pwetty missy, pwetty missy!" a chubby toddler sang, still breathing hard from his game of tag. "Aw you done sweeping?"

"Yup, I'm back from the dead!" Violet grinned. Indigo flinched at her wording.

The boy beamed at her. "You must be weal stwong, pwetty missy! But ow gym leader is WAY stwonger!"

"Misty?" Violet verified, and the boy nodded wildly. Before she could reply, the boy ran away, shrieking as he was chased by the girl who was 'it'.

Violet couldn't help smiling. Kids were cute when they weren't evil. She stood up fairly easily, ignoring Indigo's hovering arms, ready to catch her if she fell again. "Donuts?" she asked, her eyes hopeful. Indigo rolled his eyes at her enthusiasm, but nodded, falling into step next to her.

Violet wondered vaguely if she should be eating healthy, and killed that thought before it could lay eggs. Donuts.

"So who is this Misty anyways?" Indigo asked curiously.

Violet reminded herself that Indigo didn't know anything about this time. "Misty is-"

She trailed off, her mouth hanging open. A figure in a blue swimsuit pranced past them, throwing blue objects into the air while cackling madly. "Free badges for everyone who agrees to be my evil minion!" the orange haired girl sang, throwing the badges in the air like confetti. The children shrieked, completely willing to become minions, grabbing badges from the ground like it was candy.

"…right there," Violet finished faintly, her eyes wide as 'Misty' rounded the corner, skipping merrily.

Indigo's mouth twitched. "Interesting…"

"That isn't…that wasn't…what is going on?" Violet wailed, covering her face with her hands.

"Maybe she-" Indigo stopped short. An identical girl in a matching swimsuit tore down the street, her face furious. "Stop right there!" she yelled, shooting past them and skidding around the corner her twin had taken.

"Was that a-"

"Ditto," Indigo confirmed, his eyes narrowed as though in thought. "Could it have been from the cave? Violet?"

Violet stared at the ground. The badges on the ground glinted in the sunlight. But they…they looked real!

The last time she had seen a Cascade badge had been so long ago. But there was no mistaking it.

_See, Vie? I told you I'd win! It's because I had you, my little good luck charm…_

"What is it?" Indigo prompted when Violet didn't speak. She bent down and retrieved the fallen badge, staring at it inscrutably.

It was a pretty bauble, made of beaten metal. It was crafted into a blue raindrop, or a tear, with a graceful curve and glimmering metallic paint. It looked well made, as though it was created with care. It was not the kind of thing you threw on the street, that was for sure.

Violet was silent for another long minute, looking at the pretty metal dew drops littered across the cobbled street. She picked up another, and inspected it as well before looking Indigo. "These are Cascade Badges, no doubt about it. They're the official gym badge for Cerulean city, proof that you defeated the Gym Leader. I don't think these are fakes."

Indigo's eyes went wide as he realized the value of the badges. Violet nodded, making up her mind. "We have to return them. No other choice."  
>Indigo glared at the playground balefully before sighing, jogging over to retrieve the badges that had already been claimed by children. Violet smiled gratefully, bending down to pick up the glittering bits of metal on the street. It didn't take long before her hands were full.<p>

Without thinking, she reached into her pack. Her hands touched rough fabric and she froze, her breathing stopping short. She pulled the object out, staring with clouded eyes.

It was a normal baseball cap, patterned white and pale blue. The surface was faded with age, creased from sitting in her pack for so many years.  
>So many memories. So many nightmares.<p>

Shaking her head, Violet threw the badges into the hat, dispelling all thought.

~o~

"Excuse me Nurse Joy, could you spare a minute?"

Indigo hung back, not paying attention as Violet walked up to the counter of the Cerulean Pokemon Center. Something was off. But what? He scanned the walls and windows, his eyes narrowed. His senses never lied.

"I found these outside, but the gym was locked," Violet explained behind him. Indigo sighed, giving up on the strange feeling. Maybe it really was nothing. "…and so I was wondering if you could return them to Misty when you see her next?"

Indigo fell over with shock, staring at the Nurse. The nurse who was identical to the last one he had met. Like twins.

"How did you get here so fast?" Indigo demanded, trying to make sense of how the pink haired woman had traveled so far faster than an Abra could teleport. It wasn't possible!

Violet looked at him strangely, before brightening as she understood. "Oh, no, this is a different-"

"I-I flew!" the nurse stammered brightly. "On a Pokemon. Very quickly. Haha!"

Violet stared, as though that were strange. "But-"

"Oh, thank you for returning those badges!" Nurse Joy gushed, grabbing the full hat from Violet. "I had heard they were stolen by a very charming ditto! I'll return them to angry-orange-girl immediately, no problem!"

The door to the janitors closet banged and burst open, freeing a gagged magenta haired woman. She tumbled into the room, tearing the gag off her mouth. "Stop that Ditto!" the formerly captive Nurse Joy shouted, pointing angrily towards the Nurse behind the counter.

The fake nurse grinned and promptly melted into a puddle of pink goo, the badges balanced precariously on its head. It sped towards the entrance, badges spilling out of the hat with every turn it made.

The revolving doors spun slowly open as a tired looking Misty entered the Pokemon Center. She started when she saw the Ditto with its hat full of badges, her eyes going wide. "Ah! There you are!"

The Ditto squeezed out the crack in the spinning doors just ahead of Misty's reach, and her head hit the side. The revolving door spun, and hit her again from behind, knocking her to the ground.

The triumphant pink Pokemon sped away, and turned a corner, out of sight.

"Ow…." Misty groaned, rubbing her head. She hit the ground with her fist. "Darn it! I almost had it that time! When I get my hands on that thing…"

Violet ran to the fallen girl. "Are you alright? You didn't break anything did you?" she asked worriedly, holding out a hand to help her up.

"Nothing but my pride," Misty said with a sigh, accepting Violets outstretched hand. She stood, dusting off her legs. "Thanks."

"What happened?" Violet asked. "Why on earth did a Ditto impersonate you?"

Misty's eyes sparked with anger. "That Ditto stole the Gym badges from the safe by transforming into the key. Without them I can't accept any challengers, and people might pick them up and claim to have beaten me. This is a disaster," she groaned.

Violet and Indigo exchanged glances. Indigo sighed, waving a hand telling her to go ahead. Violet grinned and turned to Misty. "We can help you find them if you want. Indigo here can sense Aura, so finding the badges would be a breeze."

"Ah, would you really do that?" Misty exclaimed, sparkling in excitement as she perked up. "It's no trouble?"

"None at all!" Violet said, despite sounding a bit faint. "We can rest later, right Indigo?"

Indigo grinned ruefully and stretched his arms. "I suppose we can. Let's find this Ditto quickly."

"Then it's settled! Let's go! My name is Violet by the way," Violet said with a grin, picking up a few of the fallen badges.

"Your Lucario can talk?" Misty demanded, looking incredulous.

"Yup! And he's not even my coolest Pokemon!" Violet said with a grin.

"I should definitely be offended by that," Indigo growled, glaring daggers at his trainer. She ignored him.

"Would you like to see Mr. Fin?" she gushed, eyes sparkling.

"Mr. Fin? So he's a water type? Would I ever! Water type Pokemon are my favorites!" Misty exclaimed.

"Alright then! Go, Mr. Fin!" Violet called, tossing her Master Ball into the air with a flourish. The sphere burst open, revealing the silhouette of the giant Pokemon surrounded by a halo of light. Misty sucked in a breath reverently. Indigo rolled his eyes.

The glowing faded, revealing Mr. Fin, in all his glory. "Karp, Magikarp," He said, his eyes half shut and his chin up in a regal pose. There was a beat of silence.

"Oh wow, he's beautiful!" Misty exclaimed. "Just look at his color! I've never seen such a vibrant Magikarp. Is he really yours?"

"Yup, he's all mine!" Violet said proudly. "I saw him near Pewter city, and I just had to catch him. See how his tail catches the light?"

"You're right…and his pectoral fins are the exact same color as a pearl! Oh, he's amazing!" Misty said with a sigh, "Do you use any products on his scales?"

"And…I've lost them," Indigo sighed, sitting cross legged on the ground facing Mr. Fin. "I don't know what they see in you," he muttered darkly. His eyes slipped shut and the room swam into an eerie, grey focus.

"-and just think of what he'll look like evolved!" Misty said dreamily. "He'll be strong and beautiful!"

"Mr. Fin is strong," Violet said, frowning slightly.

"Eh? But he's a Magikarp…they're not really good for anything," Misty said. "He might be pretty, but he can't battle."

"Mr. Fin could too win a battle! He could beat your Pokemon, easy!" Violet exclaimed, eyes flashing.

"Here we go," Indigo muttered under his breath.

"You think you could beat my Pokemon with a Magikarp? Ha! Don't make me laugh! My Pokemon aren't just pretty, they're the real deal! This isn't some bug catcher you're challenging you know!" Misty crossed her arms over her chest, eyes glinting.

"Fine then, I challenge you to a battle! Here and now!" Violet huffed defiantly. "And Mr. Fin will prove himself!"

"Fine! You'd better be ready to lose!" Misty said with a grin, selecting a Poke ball from her pack. The two teens faced each other, the air practically crackling. Indigo stood with a sigh.

"You can't earn a badge if Misty doesn't have any, right Violet?" Indigo reasoned, ignoring the smugness radiating from Mr. Fin as his trainer praised him. If this continued any longer the fish would get a bigger head than he already had.

"Well…" Violet said, trailing off. "You're right. The Ditto comes first," she sighed. "We got a little sidetracked. We should go find that Ditto now."

"I already found it," Indigo said dryly. "I've had nothing to do this whole time after all. You're easily distracted."

"I am not! Wait, you found it? Really? Lets go then!" Violet beamed. Indigo rolled his eyes, before reactivating his Aura vision.

"There. It's at the playground near the bridge. It's currently…err…" Indigo shot a glance at Misty. "It's currently throwing badges at Pidgey and small children-"

"WHAT?!" Misty exploded with a snarl.

"-disguised as you," Indigo finished. Violet squeaked at the flames she could practically see radiating from the gym leaders body intensified.

"We're going now!" Misty yelled, storming for the doors. "That Ditto is going to be nothing but a smear on the wall when I'm done with it!"  
>Violet and Indigo stared after the fiery water trainer in shock.<p>

"Indigo?" Violet whispered softly.

"What?"

"She's scary," Violet whimpered, eyes wide.

"I've seen scarier," Indigo said dryly, thinking of a certain blonde haired princess he knew. "And Violet? That Ditto…it has the same Aura as the fake Chansey from Cerulean Cave."

"Eh? But why did it leave?" Violet wondered, her forehead scrunching up.

"I'm not going to try to understand what goes on in that things mind," Indigo said with a sigh. "Lets catch up to Misty. She really might turn that Ditto into a smear on the wall."

~o~

"One, two three, four, look out Pidgeys, here comes more!" Misty cackled wildly, tossing badges into the air with wild abandon. "You want badges? Come and get them!"

The orange haired girl was seated victoriously on top of the monkey bars in the now empty playground. In her hands was Violets hat, half full of badges.

"No one can beat me! I'm the best Water type trainer in the world!" Misty sang, flipping herself upside down on the bars. Badges spilled out of the hat, littering the woodchips below. She sighed and shook her fist at the bird Pokemon warily peeking out of the trees.

"Now look what you made me do! After all the trouble it took me to get them too…Oh well, I only need one after all…"

"Hey you! Stop it right there!" the real Misty yelled at her imposter, breathing hard as she skidded to a stop in the park. Indigo and Violet were right behind her. The fake Misty turned to face them. Her face consisted of two dots and a wiggly smile.

"I DO NOT LOOK LIKE THAT!" Misty yelled furiously, her face red. The Ditto rubbed its hands over its face until it was once again a perfect copy of Misty. It stuck out its tongue and tugged down one eyelid with its finger.

"That's it, I'm going to kill you!" Misty shouted. Violet restrained her arms, holding the furious girl back.

"Don't kill it! I'm sure it doesn't mean any harm!" Violet shouted, defending the pink Pokemon.

The Ditto stuck its bottom towards them and smacked it tauntingly.

Violets eye twitched. "And maybe, it has a death wish."

Misty let out a wordless shriek of rage, and wrenched herself free of Violets arms. The Ditto giggled, its hand over its mouth.  
>Indigo held out an arm in front of the Gym leader, stopping her again. "Wait. Lets at least find out why its doing this. Maybe it has a good reason."<p>

"Well, you heard him, why did you steal my badges?" Misty demanded, glaring at the smug Pokemon.

"And why did you leave the cave?" Indigo added, sharing a glance with Violet.

"You really want to know?" the fake Misty said with a grin. It pointed a finger at Violet accusingly. "It was because I want to battle that weird man!"

"I am not a man!" Violet growled angrily, her sympathy for the Ditto evaporating. "I'm a girl. You know, female?"

"Girl?" the Ditto repeated slowly. "Is that what the brain damaged ones are called? The spiky red one never mentioned it."

"How could you not know what a girl is?" Violet wondered. Her eyes went wide as something clicked in her mind.

"It had never left the cave before," Indigo breathed, understanding. "That's why it didn't know what you were. I'd be willing to bet you're one of the first people it had ever seen."

"People…person…you sure have a lot of names," the Ditto mused. "The one called Lance was in the cave for a long time, training his dragon-snakes. I thought he was alone, but then I saw the purple-one in the cave too. She was like Lance, but not like. I didn't get it…"

The fake Misty paused, breathing in. "So I decided to follow you! And I saw tons of strange 'people', and they were all different! They eat this amazing thing called 'pasta', and have flippy hair!"

"Well that's all fine and good, but why steal my badges?" Misty demanded hotly. The Ditto beamed.

"Because I heard that Misty gives badges to those who defeat her! I thought that the purple-one would want one, so I stole them! Now I am Misty, so if you want a badge you'll have to beat me!"

It was silent for a moment as this sunk in. Indigo snorted. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. You might look like Misty, but you aren't her."

"I for one have heard enough! You're going to give those back right now!" Misty snarled angrily. She stomped up to the Ditto, grabbing for the badges in their hat.

The Ditto smiled. It dropped the badges and grabbed Misty's hands in its own, spinning the ginger girl around in mad circles.

The two Misty's spun and spun. They broke apart groaning, holding their heads.

"Ow….Hey, what was that for?" one yelled angrily at the other.

"What are you talking about? It was you who did that! Ah, my head…the world is spinning…" the other groaned. Both trainers reached for their pack at the same time.

"H-hey! Three of my Pokemon are gone!"

"Mine too! You thief, give those back right now!" The two ginger haired girls glared at each other, each one holding a Poke ball in their hands. The air crackled with tension.

Indigo stared. Violet seemed similarity frozen beside him. What on earth…

One of the Misty's smiled. "You think you can pass yourself off as me because you look like me huh? Well think again! It just so happens that I am an expert trainer! Lets battle to see who the real one is!"

"Ha! You talk pretty well for a fake, but lets see you do more than that! I accept your challenge!" the other said with a grin. She threw her Poke ball into the air, releasing a Starmie. The ten pointed star glinted like amethyst in the sun.

"Go, Kingler!" a Misty shouted. A red flash burst from her pack, materializing itself onto the grass. The orange haired trainer gaped. "Psyduck! I didn't call you out! Hurry, get back in your Poke ball!"

"Ha! Good job Psyduck, stay out and fight! Now, Starmie, use Bubblebeam!" the other Misty crowed.

"Indigo, can't you tell which one is real?" Violet asked, watching as Psyduck cocked its head to the side. The iridescent bubbles shattered against its body and exploded, throwing smoke into the air. "And how do bubbles create smoke?" she wondered aloud.

"I don't think those are normal bubbles," Indigo replied dryly. "Those two are too hot headed. The real Misty should just grab the badges, or refuse to battle."

But she did have a point. His eyes closed, and the four black appendages under his ears rose into the air, as though they were under a spell. "I see, so the real one is-"

"Psyduck, use Confuse Ray!" Misty called out.

"Starmie, use Tackle attack!" Misty countered. Psyducks eyes began glowing blue, its headache reaching its peak because of the two Misty's.

Starmie hit it in a glancing blow to the side. The yellow duck spun in circles, releasing its Confuse Ray accidentally. The rainbow iridescence hit Indigo mid-word, cutting him off as a burst of sensation hit his mind.

"Indigo!" Violet called out, running to his side, "Are you okay?" The two girls in the park stopped battling and looked over, their Pokemon copying their movements.

"Violet. It's just confusion. I'm not dying or anything," Indigo snorted. "…but my Aura vision is blurred. You're going to have to find the real Misty on your own." It was actually very annoying.

"Ah, okay!" Violet said with wide eyes, turning to the twins. They had mirrored expressions of surprise, and were standing in the same position. They even had the same pack.

"Ah!" Violet exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as she came up with a plan. "I've got it! Misty, battle me and Mr. Fin!"

"Now isn't the time for that!" Indigo said sharply, catching himself as dizzyness nearly made him fall. The world was shifting crazily, tinted in various shades of rainbow. As he watched, a pie danced through the air between them.

He hated being confused. It felt like he had lost all control over his world.

"You'll see. Trust me okay?" Violet said with a grin. Indigo sighed. She was fighting with the fish…which meant she was on her own. Oh joy.

Violet turned back to the twins, taking his silence as assent. "So what do you say? You aren't scared, are you?"

"I am not scared! This is just a bad time!" Misty growled.

"I won't battle you, because that's what the Ditto wants!" the other Misty declared.

"Please, Misty? I have a plan, but you have to battle me!" Violet pleaded.

The Misty's looked at each other. "How are you going to battle?" they said in unison. They glared at each other.

"What, you think I'm helpless without Indigo?" Violet scoffed. Just when Indigo thought she actually had a trump card, she continued. "Mr. Fin is going to defeat both of you of course!"

Indigo hit his forehead with his palm.

"What?!" The Misty's spluttered in unison.

"Go, Mr. Fin!" Violet exclaimed, throwing Mr. Fins Master ball into the air. A flash of amethyst light lit up the park, and Mr. Fin entered the stage, posing dramatically in mid-air.

"You're serious?" One Misty said, surprised. The other Misty grinned. "Alright then, lets battle!" Both orange haired girls turned to face Violet, mirrored expressions of determination on their faces.

"Starmie, Swift!"

"Psyduck, Confusion!"

The ruby center of Starmie glowed fiercely, spitting out gleaming stars of white. Psyduck rolled its head to the side, glowing blue with power.

"You'd better know what you're doing," Indigo muttered. The twin attacks spiraled towards Mr. Fin, a piercing cerulean spiral decorated with deadly white stars.

Violets head snapped up. She grinned widely. "Mr. Fin, chase your tail!" She ordered grandly.

Mr. Fin started flopping in circles, trying to catch his flapping tail. The attack arced towards him, throwing his shadow behind him into stark relief. Mr. Fin ignored it. The attack connected with an explosion of white and blue, sending a shock wave out from the battlefield. Violet held an arm in front of her face, protecting it from debris.

The color dissipated, revealing an unharmed Magikarp, still flopping in circles.

"What?!" Misty exclaimed, stepping back.

"Good job Mr. Fin! Now, wiggle your whiskers and go cross-eyed!" Violet said with a mischievous grin. Her Magikarp made its tan whiskers undulate in the air, its eyes facing each other. One Misty bit her lip, and the other snorted.

"Not going to counterattack?" Violet asked, raising an eyebrow. "Fine! Mr. Fin, pose like a supermodel!"

The Magikarp propped up its head on one white fin and curled its tail around to lay in front of its body, his eyes half lidded disdainfully, fishy lips pouting like a duck.

Neither Misty seemed to know what to do. They looked at each other, as though unsure whether to laugh or battle.

"Now Mr. Fin, finish it with a Splash!" Violet said with a flourish.

Indigo hit his head with his palm again, not noticing that it was glowing in his confusion. He shot backwards at the unexpected blow from his own Force Palm.

That did it.

Both Misty's started laughing, clutching their sides. Their Pokemon looked on at them oddly. The Misty on the right shimmered and melted, turning into a still laughing Ditto, three Poke balls scattering on the ground near it.

Violet walked forward, and picked up the giggling Pokemon with a slight smile. Indigo joined her, having recovered somewhat. He gave her a questioning look.

"When the Ditto laughed earlier, it almost lost control of its transformation," Violet explained, "I figured that making it laugh was the best way to figure out which Misty was which."

"But how did your Magikarp avoid that first attack?" The real Misty asked, turning towards the black haired trainer.

Violet laughed. "He didn't. Mr. Fin has a pretty high defense. I mean, Indigo couldn't even make him faint, and he was trying pretty hard. Oh, are you alright, Indigo?"

"We will never speak of this again," Indigo growled in response, turning away. Violet giggled, unable to help herself, much to his annoyance.

"Your Mr. Fin is pretty good," Misty admitted. "Almost as good as my Pokemon. He still wouldn't be able to win a battle…but I'm grateful for his help."

Violets response was cut off when Mr. Fin let out a cry, still on the battlefield. Starmie and Psyduck were standing over him, obviously confused as to what the fish was doing. Starmie poked him with one of its points.

Mr. Fin slapped his tail on the ground, finally using his Splash attack after storing enough power. He shot like a bullet towards Misty's Pokemon and slammed into them, knocking both high into the air. They disappeared into the sky, a wink like a star appearing. Misty's mouth fell open. The star winked once again, and two small forms fell from the sky, getting bigger as they neared the ground. Starmie and Psyduck hit the ground hard, dizzy and confused. They both fell over, completely unconscious.

"No way!" Misty exclaimed incredulously. "Ah, Starmie, Psyduck!"

"Wow, Mr. Fin, that was awesome!" Violet exclaimed. Her eyes went impossibly wide. "You just won your first battle, Mr. Fin! Good for you!"

"Karp, Karp, Magikarp!" Mr. Fin said, flopping excitedly on the ground. Violet grinned and returned him to his Master ball with one hand.

The Ditto compressed itself and slid out of Violets arms. It smiled widely at her, and turned itself into a pink balloon, complete with a ditto smile.  
>"Hey, wait!" Violet shouted, grabbing for the string of the balloon. It floated just out of her grasp, going high into the air. The balloon flipped, and turned into a Pidgeot. It flew away, wheeling on one wingtip.<p>

"I wanted to ask it one more thing," Violet said quietly, staring at the place the Pokemon had disappeared.

Indigo put a hand on her shoulder.

"I doubt we've seen the last of that thing," he said dryly, trying to cheer her up. Violet smiled at him. She bent down to pick up badges, and to retrieve her fallen hat. She dusted it off, smiling at the battered old thing fondly.

"If I see that Ditto again, I hope we can be friends," Violet said, her eyes leaving the baseball cap.

"You want to be friends with that thing? Ha! If I see that Ditto again, I'll teach it a lesson it'll never forget!" Misty declared, her orange hair bobbing.

"But it just wanted to know more about us!" Violet protested, "It didn't mean any real harm."

"Stealing badges isn't real harm?"

"It did give them back…sort of…"

Indigo smiled wryly, listening to the two girls argue. They never seemed to stop. He turned to face the breeze that was coming off Mt. Moon. He inhaled the smell of mountain air, mixed with the ever present scent of water in Cerulean. It was shaping into a beautiful day, complete with cottony clouds that drifted lazily through the azure sky. The Pidgey were cautiously re-emerging from the trees, wary of more projectiles. A few of the braver ones even sang a bit.

It was almost exactly like the days he had spent training with Riza, before everything had gone wrong.

Indigo wished she could be here. The ache in his heart felt like a hole. Maybe they were looking at the same sky right now, centuries apart.

~o~

Misty and Nurse Joy stared incredulously at the table in front of Indigo and his trainer.

"I-I can't believe they ate so much," Misty said, taking in the piles of empty plates being cleared by the ever helpful Chansey.

"They certainly were hungry, weren't they?" Nurse Joy said with a laugh, "I'm glad we had enough!"

"And they fell asleep as soon as they finished eating."

"So they did," Nurse Joy mused. "Chansey, can you take them to a guest room? They deserve to sleep in a bed, after helping us with that Ditto."  
>"Chansey, Chance!" The bouncing pink Pokemon said cheerfully. She picked up Violet in her short arms, easily carrying the girls weight, and skipped down the hall, moving quickly despite her size.<p>

"Oh, Misty, I forgot to tell you. Brock phoned earlier today, while you were out. You should give him a call and see what he wants," Nurse Joy said, stepping back to allow Chansey to pick up Indigo. The Pokemon slung him over her shoulder and skipped down the hall once again.  
>"Brock? I wonder what he wants…can I use the phone?"<p>

"Go right ahead!" The nurse said with a smile. Misty walked towards the phones lined up on the wall between dividers, a screen to project someone's image next to them, heading towards the booth reserved for the current Gym Leader, and Nurse joy. As she neared it, the screen flashed blue and the phone off to the side began ringing. Misty blinked in surprise, picking it up.

"Hello?" She began tentatively. The screen blurred, and focused into the image of an elderly man with kind eyes and a productive air.

"Professor Oak?"

~o~

Violet felt herself waking up for the third time that day, completely at a loss as to where she was. She was staring at an unfamiliar ceiling, and was in a soft bed with pale blue covers. She sat up, looking around. The room was dark, and empty. She stepped out of the bed and promptly fell five feet.

"Ow…." the dark haired girl groaned, looking up. "Of course, it had to be the top bunk," she griped. She sat up with a slight wince. Where exactly was she? And where was…

"Indigo?" she called, getting to her feet. There was no answer.

"Where could he be?" she murmured, putting her hands on her hips. She spotted her pack lying at the foot of the bunk bed, the pale yellow standing out from its dark surroundings. She kneeled next to it, rummaging through its contents. Her hand slowed, and her eyes widened.

She dumped the pack out on the floor, frantically feeling each and every object. A water bottle, a comb, chap stick, three changes of clothes…no! She unzipped the Poke ball pocket, and one sphere rolled out.

Her only unused Master ball.

Mr. Fin and Indigo's Poke balls were gone.

Violet was on her feet in a second, tearing open the door and running into the hall. She was in the Pokemon Center, she realized, as she broke into the main lobby. Had Karo…no, surely not!

"Nurse joy! Mr. Fin and Indigo are…" Violet trailed off, staring in bewilderment at the Lucario standing next to the Nurse. Two Master balls sat on the counter next to him.

"…right here." she finished lamely.

"Look who finally decided to wake up," Indigo said dryly, walking over to her. "How did you sleep?"

"Uh, fine," she stammered, her mind slowly catching up to the situation. "And you?"

"I woke up hours ago," Indigo said, rolling his eyes as though he hadn't been just as exhausted as she. "The day is almost over now. You missed a lot. There's someone who wants to talk to you."

"Eh?" Violet said, blinking. Indigo gestured towards the phone booths, where Misty was currently sitting. Violet walked over slowly, and tried to see who was on the screen.

"Oh, Violet, you're awake," Misty said with a smile. "Here," She said, handing the phone to Violet. The dark haired girl took it, and moved so she was directly in front of the screen. A friendly old man was smiling at her, a bright laboratory behind him.

"Hello, Violet. My name is Professor Oak. I must say, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Uh….hi?" Violet said, still confused. Her eyes snapped open wide. "Wait, did you say Professor Oak?" The man on screen laughed.

"Ah, I see you've heard of me. I've heard quite a bit about you over the last little while. You captured a cursed Lucario, defeated Brock, and spent time in the infamous Cerulean Cave, and all within a week! I must say, I'm impressed," Professor Oak said, shaking his head.

"But…how did you…"

"I talked with your partner, Indigo. Incidentally, I also brought both him and your Magikarp to my lab for a quick examination. Indigo assured me you wouldn't mind," The Professor explained, gesturing to the open lab behind him. "It was a simple matter to use the Poke ball transfer machine to bring them here, and I got some fascinating data from it. For example, do you remember your Lucario's failed Aura Sphere attacks?"

"Yeah, he can't seem to do it again, even though he said he could do it before," Violet said, blinking at the unexpected turn of the conversation.

"Well that's just it! He shouldn't have been able to do it in the first place!" The old mans eyes lit up on screen as he spoke, sounding both incredulous and amused at the problem. "Lucario generally learn the Aura Sphere move at level 51, but Indigo is only level 39. And furthermore, Pokemon forget a move after learning a new skill, and Indigo is still completely able to use his previous four attacks. So what this means is that it should have been impossible. But he was still able to use Aura Sphere under extreme provocation. My assistants have half a mind to start a new line of research to determine if Pokemon are able to learn higher level moves under the right circumstances."

"Indigo is amazing," Violet said simply, as though that summed everything up.

" I was also intrigued by the news of your Magikarps Splash attacks dealing damage to Misty's Pokemon. Splash has never been seen giving damage before, so I decided to take a look. Your Magikarp is remarkably well developed, with enough actual muscle in its tail to use Splash in the best manner possible. However, I can't say much for its aim. It was most likely sheer luck that the attack connected like that."

"Mr. Fin is amazing too," Violet said with a grin. "He's the best Magikarp in the world. None of the others in the waterfall can compare."

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that as well. I would like to study the Magikarp in the waterfall you mentioned. Magikarp in a waterfall basin are unusual in themselves, because the strong currents are normally too much for their weak fins. It's possible that the pool is deep enough to create still water near the bottom, which also leads me to believe it would be connected to an underwater river. It certainly is worth looking into. I would also like to examine the glowing moss that Indigo mentioned."

"That's fine Professor, only…" Violet bit her lip. That place had been _hers_. She didn't know that anyone else knew the secrets of the waterfall basin. "Just try not to disturb the Pokemon, or the area too much. And try not to have too many people there? I'd hate for it to become an attraction for tourists or something."

"I will leave the area just how it is now," The Professor promised. "I'm glad to see you care about those Pokemon so much."

A young man with dark parted hair tapped the Professor on the shoulder and whispered something in his ear. The Professor started. "Oh my, I seem to have lost track of the time. It was a pleasure talking to you, Violet, but there's a matter that requires my attention. I do hope I can talk to you again in the future."

"Y-yeah," Violet said with a smile. "I'd like that. Thank you for all the information, it was nice to know."

"It was no trouble, but you're welcome all the same. Well, I'll be seeing you then!" Professor Oak smiled and the screen flicked to black.

"Wow," Violet breathed. She had just spoken to Professor Oak. The Professor Oak.

"You sure are popular," Misty said from behind her, "First Brock calls to warn me you were coming, and then Professor Oak calls to ask about a girl Red encountered in Cerulean Cave. Your Pokemon journey is off to an exciting start, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is," Violet said with a grin, "But a little less adventure might be nice sometimes."

"So what are your plans? Do you know where you're going next?" Misty asked. Indigo joined them, standing silently at Misty's shoulder.

"Next…." Violet mused, twirling a lock of dark hair around her fingers, "I think we'll head to Saffron city. We can challenge Sabrina, and say hi to my dad." Saffron city. the last time she'd been there…

Could she really go back? Could she honestly face Sabrina after everything?

Violet didn't know. That scared her.

"Oh, we have to beat you first though." Violet added with a rueful smile, cutting off her previous train of thought. She would worry about that when she got there.

Misty sighed. "I thought you might say that. Well don't bother." Violet blinked in surprise at her words, but Misty wasn't done yet.

"You beat two of my Pokemon fair and square, and you helped recover the Cascade badges. You've more than earned it. Here - take this," she said, pressing a blue metal raindrop into Violets hand. The girls violet eyes went wide with disbelief. She closed her hand and grinned victoriously.  
>"Thank you! I'll take this…..and I'll get the other Kanto gym badges too, and challenge the Pokemon League! Then I'll become a Pokemon Master, you can count on it!" Violet announced, fire in her eyes.<p>

Misty stared at her in astonishment.

"What?" Violet asked at her blank look.

"You just reminded me of someone, that's all," the water type trainer explained, shaking her head.

"Well if you're going to challenge the Pokemon League, you'll need this," Nurse Joy said from behind them. Her Chansey skipped up to Violet, holding out a purple badge case. It had a raised line shooting diagonally from one corner to the other, with a single jagged edge, like a lightning bolt. The finish was covered in a layer of gloss, shiny and new.

"Thank you!" Violet said sincerely, accepting the badge case. She opened it with a 'snap', and pressed the Cascade badge into its place in the foam, and dug in her pocket for the Boulder badge. The two badges gleamed next to each other, teal and brown. Violet admired them for a moment before closing the lid. She turned to Indigo.

"I couldn't have gotten this far without you. Thank you…I promise to help you return home, no matter what it takes," she swore, violet eyes meeting crimson. He closed his eyes and the side of his mouth quirked up.

"For both our goals then," he announced, holding his arm out. Violet set her human hand over his paw, creating an unbreakable pact. They met each others eyes and grinned.

"Well you might as well stay here for the night," Misty offered, "You can head to Saffron in the morning. In the meantime, you should come shopping with me! Stocking up on supplies is important, and the shops won't close for another few hours."

"Good idea," Violet said, thinking of the many times she should have had supplies, or medicine on her, "Lets head out in a few then. And tomorrow…we go to Saffron city!"

"I'll go get the fish," Indigo said, rolling his eyes as he jogged out the doors towards the outdoor pool behind the Pokemon Center.

After Indigo was gone, Misty turned to Violet. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you," she said, her voice low. "Have we…I mean, have we met before?"

Violet looked to Misty, astonished she had even remembered. "I…no, I don't think so," she said lamely, wincing at her stutter.

"Oh," Misty said, relieved. "Sorry about that, I just thought you looked like a girl who came to this gym a few years ago. Your personality was so different, so I didn't…it was probably a coincidence. Anyways, thank you for all your help!"

So many lies! Violet couldn't help but flinch as Misty turned away. But she steeled her gaze, and sat down while she waited for Indigo to return. She had to deny it, had to deny every connection she had with that time. If she didn't, another friend might die. And it would be her fault this time, too.

Violet took a deep breath. Just a little longer. Surely it had been nearly long enough?

She would fulfill her last promise. And then, maybe she could tell Indigo about it. Everything.

Saffron city was just over the horizon.

~o~

**A/N** I've got some serious explaining to do. This chapter would have been out weeks ago, but I've kind of flaked. I am so so so so sorry. Seriously, I'm surprised you put up with me.

I got some explanations done this chapter! And writing that Ditto was like the best thing ever. My love of pasta shone through a bit. I actually cleaned this up, which is why it's decent now. I didn't really edit at all because I just wanted to get it posted finally.

In any case, thank you all for reading this far, you amazing people you, please drop me a review in return for some pasta! Oh, and Merry Christmas everyone!


	10. Golden Dreams and Violet Nightmares

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. This chapter is a monster. Enjoy! :)**

~o~

"_You shouldn't let them pick on you," An older boy said, sitting next to her on the playground. The dark haired girl pulled her knees in tighter to her chest. He was just like the others. She ignored him, biting her lower lip. _

"_Hey now, why the silent treatment?" the boy complained, looking at her. She didn't reply, half hoping he would leave. The boy sighed. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a Poke ball, twirling it around his fingers. _

"_It's too bad….I'm sure this little cutie would love to meet you. But she likes people who smile. If you smiled for her, she might even dance," the boy said nonchalantly, letting the bait hang in the air. _

_The girl turned to him, eyes wide. He didn't react aside from the constant twirling the Poke ball. She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped and looked down. Everyone else made fun of her when she spoke. Why was he doing this? _

_She felt the sudden weight of a hand resting on top of her head. She looked up, and when she did she saw the boy's kind smile. _

"_You know, you remind me of my little sister, Tara. Here I'll let you meet my Pokemon now, okay?" The girl nodded quickly, her short, midnight hair bobbing. The boy grinned and threw the Poke ball into the air, releasing a haughty white and green Pokemon who balanced on one leg. _

"_Kirlia," the Pokemon trilled, her voice echoing in a beautiful resonance. The girl's mouth dropped open in an 'O' and she knelt down in front of the Kirlia her eyes shining. _

"_Smile," the boy reminded her with a nudge. The girl broke into a hesitant smile. _

"_Lia! Kirlia!" the Pokemon sang, twirling in circles. The girl broke into a wide grin, and giggled. _

"_This little one is named Echo. She was my first Pokemon ever," the boy said smiling fondly. "I also have a Bagon and an Eevee right now. One day I'm going to be the best Pokemon trainer there ever was, and become the Champion! Hey, I don't even know your name, do I? My name is Daniel Knight, but you can call me Danny."_

_The girl was quiet. She looked up at the boy and smiled hesitantly. "Violet," she said in a cracked unused voice. The Kirlia curtsied gracefully to the girl and she laughed. _

~o~

"Violet! Wake up," Indigo's rough voice growled frantically. Violet cracked open one eye, her dream interrupted. Her Lucario looked tense and fierce, ready for battle.

"What is it?" she mumbled sleepily, rubbing her eyes.

"Look!" Indigo insisted urgently. Violet sighed and obediently looked around. It was dark except for the remains of a campfire. The dark trees were tinted blue with nightfall. The moon was a thin crescent in an empty sky, the faint glow of the city ahead of them. You could even hear the rare music of a Krickitune echoing from somewhere in the forest.

It was a beautiful night. And there was nothing out of the ordinary.

"…I'm going back to bed," Violet groaned, falling back into her sleeping bag. Indigo growled at her in frustration, and pointed into the sky.

"A town is on fire up ahead. That doesn't concern you?"

Violet looked again, her gaze going towards the area he had gestured too. The lights of Saffron city tinted the night sky a rich gold that you could just see over the trees.

"That's normal. It's not a fire, I promise," Violet explained, her head falling back against her pillow. She shut her eyes, wishing for sleep. "Saffron City is always lit up like that. It uses more electricity than any other town in the region. It's also home to the biggest technology corporation in Kanto."

Violet yawned widely and shivered, burrowing deeper into her sleeping bag. "You should get some sleep. It's late." Indigo was silent. Violets thoughts started to fade, and she stifled a yawn, relaxing.

Violet was asleep again almost instantly, cocooned in her makeshift bed. She did not see Indigo turn to stare at the lit horizon, an unreadable expression on his face.

~o~

Indigo awoke to a feeling of disorientation. Where was he? He probed his surroundings with a flicker of Aura, feeling the buzz of technology. Oh.

He burst from the Master ball with a flash, landing on one knee in front of Violet.

"I will never get used to that," he grumbled, glaring in distaste at the purple sphere on Violets belt.

"Oh, you're awake," Violet chirped, ridiculously chipper for this time of morning. "I wasn't expecting you to be up so early."

"You're awake," Indigo pointed out. It was still early dawn, grey and chilled. Indigo had hated waking up early as a human, but as a Lucario things had changed. He liked mornings.

"I couldn't sleep," Violet admitted sheepishly. "I haven't been back here in…anyways, I'm a little excited. To see the city, I mean."

"Just how big is this place?" Indigo asked warily. The strange mechanical wonders he had seen had been…difficult to get used to, to say the least. If anyone had told him three hundred years ago that it was possible to transport instantly from one location to another in an instant using a 'poke-transfer machine', he would have laughed at them. And then possibly had them locked up for insanity. But now…

"-and most of the city is built with this gold stone, and it has the biggest cake shop in Kanto!" Violet finished, sighing dreamily.

"Cake." Indigo repeated dubiously. Now that one he _had_ had before. But from Violet's tone, this was something different. If it was anything like the donuts she had forced on him last night…

He might die of a sugar overdose. Indigo shuddered.

"If you aren't converted to sweets yet, you will be when you taste this cake," Violet promised, a twinkle in her eyes. "My favorite is the double chocolate crème. With extra whipped cream. Ummm…"

"How are you not fat?" Indigo wondered out loud.

"I have no idea!" Violet replied cheerfully, swinging her arms back and forth as she walked. "Hey, you've never ridden an escalator, have you?"

"It sounds evil," Indigo responded immediately. "And dangerous."

"You're a pansy," Violet complained, rolling her eyes at him. Indigo wondered why she was comparing him to a small flower. "But you haven't seen anything yet!"

"There's more?" Indigo said warily. How could there be _more_? How much technology did this time _have?_

"There are elevators, movies, the Pokemon storage system…and that's just the beginning! Goldenrod has a massive radio tower that can transmit music and news throughout the region! And in Hoenn there's a town where absolutely _everything_ is electronic…even the sidewalks and food vendors! And then there's Castellia city in Unova, that has some of the worlds tallest skyscrapers, although Saffron has its fair share of those too…."

Indigo stared at her, astonished. He hadn't recognized half the terms she had just used. Just how much technology was there in this time? Her words struck him suddenly and he paused.

"Skyscrapers?" Indigo repeated dubiously, imagining a giant Pokemon scratching at the sky. He shook his head to dispel the mildly disturbing image.

"Oh, those are just really tall buildings. You'll see soon," Violet dismissed, as though it was unimportant. "We should be able to see the city in a moment."

An image of the tallest building he had ever seen, Halleden castle, flashed through his mind. But no, the castle was massive, almost twenty stories tall. Nothing could compare to it, surely.

"Ah, look!" Violet said, breaking into his thoughts. She was standing at the top of a small rise, pointing down. She had somehow gotten ahead while he was preoccupied. He rolled his eyes slightly at her excitement, and grinned wryly.

"What is…it?" the warrior stopped talking, struck completely silent as he looked into Saffron city for the first time.

Huge buildings crafted from a strange, golden hued stone dominated the cityscape, piercing the skies themselves with their height, while electronic lights set the entire waking city aglow. Pedestrians could be seen below, businessmen hurrying to various jobs, and joggers taking advantage of the morning light. They looked like specks, so far below

. Two buildings stood above the others; a black, corded tower with strange metal devices protruding from its sides, and a dominating, orange gold structure that stood in the very heart of the city. A thin layer of smog hung over the town, broken only by the tallest skyscrapers.

Indigo had not witnessed anything so awe inspiring in his life, not even when he had first set eyes on Entei. It was radiant, amazing, unbelievable…and the sight alone sent a jolt of fear down his spine.

"That big building in the middle of the city is Silph co.," Violet said, oblivious to his reaction. "It's the largest company in the entire Kanto region, which is saying something, so its top members are practically royalty. My dad works there, so he's always busy. Oh, and that whitish building is the Saffron gym, where Sabrina is," Violet said with a gleam in her eye, pointing to the various places. She grinned. "And the best thing is that we don't have to worry about finding a place to stay, because my family owns a house in the city!"

Indigo took a deep breath and forced his eyes to turn back to Violet. "Sabrina," He said finally, concentrating on the familiar subject of battling. "How strong is she?"

She had to be at least as powerful as Brock and Misty…perhaps even as powerful as Karo. He needed to know more.

To his surprise, Violets eyes went strangely flat. "Strong," she replied flatly. "Very, very strong."

"Helpful," Indigo said dryly, trying to break her sudden, odd mood. "Anything else I should know? Pokemon, strategies, sanity levels…"

Violet straightened and turned to face him again, a too bright smile on her face. "We can worry about that later. For now, lets just enjoy the city! We've done nothing but work lately, and it's not like we have to face Sabrina the first day anyway."

Why the hesitation? He studied her face, taking in her bright, fake smile, so different from her normal grin. Indigo's eyes narrowed. Something was definitely up.

"Later then," Indigo said finally, letting her keep her silence for now. He started to walk down the path again, Violet right behind him. Had something happened with Sabrina in the past? Violet was acting stranger than usual.

No, he was reading too much into it. It wasn't unusual to be nervous before facing a strong opponent. Violet was new to being a trainer after all. Even if she did have some battling experience.

Indigo stopped, his thoughts suddenly going back to the Pewter gym. She had battled well, for a rookie. Was it nothing more than talent? If he hadn't known, he would have never guessed that that was her first ever match against a trainer. Could it be that she had fought before?

But why hide it?

A completely unbidden image of Mr. Fin rushed into his head. Violet was a rookie with a Magikarp. There was no way she had gained valuable battling experience with something like _that_. She must have learned some other way.

"Hey, are you coming?" Violet called back, giving him a questioning glance. Indigo started, realizing he had been lost in his thoughts, He caught up to his dark haired trainer in a few long strides. He would ask her about Sabrina, and where she had learned to battle, later. They had all the time in the world for that.

Besides. This was _Violet_. What could a girl like her have to hide?

~o~

"_Fury! Dodge and use Headbutt!" Daniel ordered frantically. The opponents Vibriva easily flitted around the attack, and an inferno of blue and red flames burst from its mouth. _

_Fury fell to the ground, unconscious. The Vibriva flew in victory circles around him. A small black haired girl ran to the Pokemons side. _

"_Vie, it's over," Daniel said with a sigh. He paid his opponent the prize money and pulled out a Poke ball. _

"_Fury, return," he said, pushing the button in the center of the sphere. The Bagon jumped up, dodging the beam of red. It shook its head fiercely, tears gathering at the corner of his eyes. It ran away, and Violet's big eyes widened even further. Before Daniel could even shout, his two charges were gone, racing down the street._

"_Those two," Daniel sighed, dragging a hand through his hair. What had gotten into Fury?_

"_Danny!" Kylie, his little sister, sang, running up to him. "That mute girl just ran past! Don't tell me you lost?_

"_She's not mute," Daniel corrected absently. "She did tell me her name."_

"_Yeah. Six months ago." Kylie deadpanned. "Why does an old guy like you even hang out around her? What is she, eight?"_

_Kylie was only nine. "Violet is my friend," Daniel defended, glaring at his sister. "She's my good luck charm. And I am not old!"_

"_Twelve is old! Geezer, geezer!" Kylie said, sticking out her tongue._

"_I'd better go find them," Daniel sighed. "Fury just ran off. He's never acted like this after a loss before. I don't know what happened…" he trailed off, worried._

"_Well?" Kylie demanded, her hands on her hips. "Which way did they go? I'm not just going to leave you in the lurch you know."_

_In fact, it was Kylie who found them, later that night, sitting on the highest hill in Saffron city. "Wait," she hissed, stopping her brother from running right up to them. "_Listen_."_

"_Fury," Violet whispered, her voice cracking. She took a breath, and continued, determined. "What's wrong? Please tell me?"_

"_Bagon-ba!" the small dragon said defiantly, shaking his head back and forth. Violet bit her lip, her short hair bobbing around her face._

"_A-are you saying I won't understand?" Violet guessed, her voice hushed. The Bagon looked down. "I'm scared too, sometimes," Violet admitted softly. "M-my dad is so smart, and he's real successful. Sometimes, I feel like I-I'm not good enough. Like maybe he doesn't…want me anymore." _

_The Bagon looked up, listening, and Violet continued. "It's sad sometimes, but Daniel…Danny, makes me feel like I'm needed. We're here for you too, Fury, so you don't ever have to be alone, like I was!"_

"_Bagon, gon," the dragon said with awe, looking in Violet's eyes. He turned, following a Pidgey that flew past with its gaze. A tear snaked down his scaly cheek._

"_You want…to fly?" Violet guessed, her brow furrowed. "Is that it?"_

"_Ba-ba!" Fury cried forlornly, looking at the vast sky with longing. The small girl pulled him into a hug, her own purple eyes bright with tears._

"_I'm sure you'll fly someday, you can count on it!" Violet promised, still hushed. "Danny will help you, and so will I! Together we can do anything!"_

_Her voice was soft, but fervent. It was pretty. Daniel wished that she would speak more often. _

_She doesn't even know that Bagon evolve into Salamence, does she?" Kylie asked softly, looking at her big brother._

"_No. No she doesn't," Daniel replied. He couldn't help but smile. _

~o~

"Get up."

"No."

"You're overreacting. It's not that bad," Violet said in exasperation, hands on her hips. The two were in the shopping district of Saffron, to check out their selection of Poke balls. Indigo was sitting on the ground holding his head. Violet sighed, putting her hand to her own forehead in defeat. She had known Indigo would have difficulty getting used to the surplus of technology. He was from the past after all.

But still. There wasn't a person or Pokemon alive who got sick from riding an escalator.

"We have to go back up. It's the only way to get back to the main lobby," Violet explained. Indigo didn't respond. The dark haired girl growled under her breath.

"I'm sorry I took us the wrong way, but I can't do anything about that now! All you have to do is step on the stairs and wait for about thirty seconds…." Violet said, trailing off. Nothing. She sighed again. "I didn't know you had such a problem with motion sickness!"

"I have never been motion sick in my life. That thing is some kind of torture device," the time traveler ground out, glaring at the moving stairs. A toddler skipped onto said torture device holding her mothers hand and rode slowly to the top.

Violet gave him a pointed look.

"Luck," the Lucario growled, returning his paws to his eyes. Violet groaned and hit her head with her palm. Time for plan B.

"Indigo, return," she said, capturing Indigo in his Poke ball before he could protest. She stepped onto the escalator and rode to the top, humming a few bars of a song for her Lucario's benefit. The second they stopped moving Indigo was out of the sphere, glaring at her.

"Be grateful. I was saving you from a horrible fate," Violet said dryly, rolling her eyes. "Remind me never to bring you on a roller coaster."

"I don't even want to know," Indigo said with a weary sigh. "Lets go get those Poke balls. It's probably a good idea for you to have more than two Pokemon."

Violet pouted dramatically. "Mr. Fin can handle anything. Why do I need more Pokemon?"

Indigo growled at her. "Who was it that helped you win your first Gym battle?"

"Mr. Fin beat the second," Violet reminded him with a grin. "You guys are tied."

"I refuse to compete with an ugly fish that can't speak."

"You are clearly jealous," Violet retorted, sticking out her tongue. But then, Mr. Fin hadn't been in any battles lately. Violet bit her lip. Maybe…maybe she should train Mr. Fin a bit more. It wouldn't hurt to level him up. But who would she battle against? Indigo was out of the question… She sighed inwardly and dropped the subject, making a mental promise to think about it later.

Her eyes began wandering, taking in the sights of the Saffron shopping district. Her pulse quickened, hundreds of buried memories flooding to the surface of her mind all at once.

It couldn't be. Not so _soon_!

Deep brown hair, pale skin, and golden eyes. She hadn't seen Violet yet. There was still time to run. But Violet was frozen in place, as though held by a ghost. In a way, she was.

_What on earth could she say?_

The girl turned slightly and met Violets gaze. There was no mistaking those eyes. It was Tara. Recognition filled the young girls gaze. Her mouth fell open slightly. "Violet?" she whispered, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.

"Tara…" Violet whispered hopelessly, reaching a hand out towards her. Tara's face twisted, and she grabbed an Ultra ball, tears spilling down her suddenly flushed cheeks.

"You'll pay for killing my big brother!" the young girl shouted, her voice filled with grief and hatred. Violet recoiled as if she had been slapped, taking an involuntary step back.

The young girl drew back her hand to throw her Ultra ball, but a blonde teen caught her wrist, stopping her.

"Tara! What are you doing?" she scolded, restraining her struggling sister. "You can't release Fury in here!" Kylie stopped, seeing Violet for the first time. "Oh, _Violet_," she breathed, her eyes going wide with understanding.

Violet stared, still frozen with horror. _Run_. She had to run! But her traitor legs would not obey her, and she was left helplessly staring at her former friend and almost sister.

Kylie's mouth closed. She turned to Tara, breathing out a sigh. "Tara, give me Fury."

"N-no!" the young girl sobbed, trying in vain to wrench her wrist from her sisters grasp. The older girl pressed her lips together in a firm line and prized the Ultra ball from Tara's fingers, before placing it in her own purse. She released her sisters hand, and the young girl immediately stumbled away from her, glaring.

"You can have this back when you learn to control yourself," the older girl admonished. More tears broke from Tara's golden eyes and her bottom lip quivered. With a wordless cry of rage she ran from the three. "Tara!" The blonde haired teen shouted after the fleeing girl. She sighed as Tara ran out of sight. "Violet, I'm so sorry. She didn't mean…we know you had nothing to do with it."

"Ah, right. Don't worry about it," Violet whispered, biting her lip. She stared at the ground, avoiding Indigo's questioning look. Nothing at all. Right.

"Hey…why don't you come to our house later?" Kylie asked, breaking the silence. "We have a few new movies, and some leftover pizza. It's gotta be better than spending the night alone." the teen shot a glance at Indigo.

Violet didn't know what to say, or even if she _could_ speak. Kylie. It had been so long. She hadn't seen Kylie for two years. The blonde girl had changed a lot in that time, transforming from gawky teen to a beautiful almost adult woman. From what she had heard, Kylie had given up her career as a trainer shortly after Violet had last seen her.

That was probably her fault.

Violet was on the verge of refusing her when she saw Indigo's questioning glance. Her Lucario tried to hide it, but his eyes were unquestionably concerned. At the sight of those crimson eyes, Violet calmed down just a bit. Indigo. She could be strong, for Indigo.

"I don't know if I should stay the night," Violet said with a weak smile, giving in. "But I could stop by for a bit…"

"You're staying the night," Kylie said firmly, her eyes daring Violet to argue. "And Tara won't bother you either, I'll make sure of that."

Violet still looked uncertain. Kylie sighed and her tone softened. "It's no trouble, Vie. We'll be glad to have you. Stop by around seven, okay?"

Violet was silent for a moment, staring at the floor, before looking at the older girl and nodding, a small smile on her face.

"Great!" Kylie beamed. "I'll see you then! Now if you'll excuse me, I have to track down Tara." She gave Violet a sheepish smile and waved as she jogged in the direction Tara had run.

Violet let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. She felt cold and her stomach was tight. _Oh_, but she hadn't expected to see them so soon! In such a big city, what were the chances?

"Are you alright?" Indigo asked, looking concerned. "You look sick. Do you need to sit down?"

"I'm fine," Violet said, forcing herself to smile. His first worry was about _her_, even after hearing…"Must have been that escalator ride catching up to me. That's all."

Indigo held her gaze for a long moment, his eyes narrowed. He turned away with a curt nod. "Fine. But we will talk, later. You needed more supplies?"

"…yeah," Violet said gratefully, nodding. Indigo sighed almost imperceptibly, turning away. Guilt twisted in her stomach for avoiding the truth, but she held her tongue.

When she closed her eyes, she could still see Tara's face, twisted with hatred.

~o~

_Violet sat on the old wood swing, hanging from the big tree next to the training grounds. She swung back and forth lazily, not really expending any effort. She sighed gustily, for the third time. Where was he?_

"_Hey, Vie!" _

_Violet sat up straighter, smiling hesitantly. Was it him?_

_It was. Daniel skidded to a top in front of her, breathing hard. He put his hands on his knees, trying to slow down his heart. "Alright, tell it to me straight," he gasped, laughing at himself as he looked up at her with golden eyes. "Just how late am I?"_

_Violet didn't even have to look at her watch. Her eyes narrowed. "Thirty seven minutes," she reported, glaring at him. "Did you bring donuts?"_

"_Always thinking about your stomach!" Daniel groaned, clutching his heart dramatically. "No I didn't bring donuts. But I brought something better."_

_Better than donuts? Violet thought about this, and decided it was impossible. "What is it?" she asked warily, unsure if she trusted his judgment._

_Eyes glowing, he reached into his pack, pulling out three shiny Poke balls. Violet's face closed off abruptly, her body tensing. "Hey now, let me explain," Daniel cautioned hurriedly. "These are mine. Not yours."_

_Violet sat, waiting for him to explain. He knew she wasn't allowed to be a trainer yet. He _knew_. She stared at him, her eyes cautious._

"_Geez," Daniel sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You'd think I'd brought out a gun. You aren't supposed to start your journey until after you turn sixteen, right? Your dad wants you to be sure that's what you really want to do?"_

_Violet nodded, affirming his words, but her eyes were still wary. He had five seconds. If this was a joke, it wasn't funny._

"_So, there was never a rule saying you couldn't help _me_ train, right?" Daniel Knight finished, beaming at her as he held out the three Poke balls like a gift._

_Violet stopped, her brow furrowing. That was…technically true, but…_

"_He never has to find out," Daniel continued, lit up like the sun with his brilliant solution. "And if he does, well, you did nothing wrong, right? I'll take all the blame, promise! But he's never around, so he won't find out! Brilliant, isn't it?" he finished, beaming._

_Violet stared at him with round eyes. She threw her small arms around his neck, smiling her first genuine smile since they had met. _

"_I'll take that as a 'yes'," Daniel grinned, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "This place is perfect. It's an old dojo, that used to be a fighting type gym. All sorts of trainers battle here, rookies, pros, you name it! I just know you're going to do fine, Vie."_

_The dark haired girl couldn't respond, hiccupping over her tears. This was the best present she had ever gotten. Better…better than even donuts! _

_She finally had a friend. And that was the best present she could have asked for._

"_Happy tenth birthday, Violet," Daniel said softly, hugging her close._

~o~

Indigo looked at Violet out of the corner of his eye. She was staring at the floor again, lost in thought. He frowned in annoyance. She had been like this ever since running into that brunette child, and was impossible to cheer up.

But then again, anyone would act like that after being accused of murder.

Not for the first time, he wondered what had happened. If he just went by Violets reaction to the accusation…then she would be guilty. But at the same time, this was _Violet_. She would never hurt anyone. She just wasn't that kind of a person.

But what did he really know about her? They had only known each other for a short time…and yet, they had gone through so much. He sighed, realizing he was just thinking in circles. Violet would explain.

"Indigo…" Violet started, trailing off. She bit her lip. "Well, I was wondering…would you like to battle?"

Indigo blinked, caught off guard. They hadn't battled in a while, actually. "I wouldn't be opposed to it," Indigo replied warily, wondering where she was going with this.

"It's just that, I know this place…it's full of trainers, and I know we haven't battled recently, so I thought, maybe-"

Indigo cut her off. "That sounds fine," he said firmly, stopping her from babbling further. Why was she so nervous? It was just him after all.

It would be good to get her mind off things. Battling would do nicely.

"Good," Violet said, relieved. She held his paw with her hand, pointing with her free arm. "It's not far. See that white building up ahead?"

He did. Indigo's powerful vision picked the building out in no time. He could even read the words on the side. "Saffron Gym?" Indigo read, shock racing through him. She wanted to battle the gym leader _now?_ After acting so strangely every time he mentioned it?

"What? Oh, no, we're not going there," Violet shuddered. "Not yet anyhow. I'll show you, okay?"

She led him down the crowded street, and around the corner of the Gym. Hidden in the shadow of the massive building was a medium sized, wooden dojo. Several practice fields were set up in front of the old building, and more trainers could be seen battling within. Trainers that weren't battling sat on the sidelines, talking and laughing with each other as they watched the heated matches.

"Here it is," his dark haired trainer said with a grin. "I used to come here all the time with a…a friend of mine. Anyways, it's the best place in Saffron to practice, and it's full of trainers willing to battle."

"I see," Indigo said, impressed despite himself. It looked like the perfect place to train, with both strong and weak trainers to test your strength against. Was this where she had learned to battle?

Looking at this place, her eyes were lit up for the first time since they had come to this town. Good.

"Let me explain how it works. Beginning trainers, who don't have any badges, generally fight on that field over there, "Violet said, gesturing towards a small, beaten up field, where two ten year olds were battling, "….and the ones who have been training for a bit longer, the medium class, fight in that field over by the dojo. And lastly, the higher class trainers battle on those three fields in the middle. Fighting type Pokemon usually train inside the dojo itself. It actually used to be a fighting type gym, but that was years ago."

"What happened?" Indigo asked, genuinely curious. Two gyms in a city seemed like a recipe for disaster.

"The two gyms had an argument over which should be the official gym of Saffron city. It ended up in a battle, Sabrina versus the entire dojo," Violet explained. "And, well, Sabrina annihilated them. Not one of them even managed to hurt her Pokemon. This place still has a few of the old fighting type masters around though, so it's still a good place for fighting type Pokemon to train. They fight inside the dojo, usually."

Violet grinned. "We're good enough to start on the middle class, and we can work our way up from there. And you'd probably enjoy the fighting type battles as well, wouldn't you?"

Battles with trained fighters? Indigo grinned fiercely at the idea. He couldn't think of a better way to get stronger. "Let's show these rookies how to _really_ battle!"

~o~

_It was one year later that Violet went an entire day without a loss for the first time. _

_Daniel clapped her on the back, grinning widely as they walked down the darkening street, after a long day of battling. "You're going to give me a run for my money someday, battling like that! My little Violet, growing up so fast!" he wiped an imaginary tear away from the corner of his eye, and Violet rolled her eyes at him, smiling despite herself._

"_Nami did all the hard work," she reminded him. Streetlamps cast golden shadows, illuminating the dark. They were alone on the street, out past Violet's curfew. The thought thrilled her with half fear half excitement. "A-all I had to do was be her eyes sometimes."_

"_You don't give yourself enough credit, Vie," Daniel scoffed. "I've _never_ seen anyone use an Ice Beam like that. And using a Hydro Pump on the ground to throw her in the air, dodging that Hyper Beam? Genius. You're a natural, Vie. Always have been."_

_Violet blushed, looking down at the ground, smiling as Danny laughed at her embarrassment Battling was the only thing she was really good at. More than that, it was fun! She would be a trainer when she grew up. She knew it down to her bones._

"_I'll bet you want donuts to celebrate, don't you," Daniel guessed, rolling his eyes at her. "No, don't tell me. You want cake? That chocolate stuff?"_

_Violet's eyes lit up. She nodded excitedly, beaming at him. _

"_Then it's my treat," Daniel grinned. "You deserve it." _

_Violet walked contentedly next to her best friend, swinging her arms back and forth, basking in the glow of the streetlamps and the hazy moon overhead. A few brave stars winked through the smog layer above the city, brilliant and hard, like diamonds. After a while, Danny spoke again. _

"_Hey…Vie? Will you promise me something?"_

_She turned to him, surprised by his tone. "Anything," she said instantly, her eyes on his. He laughed quietly at her prompt answer._

"_If I don't…make it to the Pokemon League," he started. "No, no, let me finish," he said, cutting off her immediate protest. "If I don't make it, for whatever reason, will you go for me? Will you become a Pokemon Master? The best there ever was?" he finished, grinning at the cheesiness of his last sentence._

_She didn't have to think. "Of course I will," she said. "B-but you're going to make it first. No way you'll fail!"_

"_Your confidence is inspiring," Daniel said ruefully. His eyes turned thoughtful as he looked at the sky. "Becoming a master isn't as easy as it's cracked up to be. It takes dedication, and trust to grow. Lots of people fail, before they even realize, and then they're stuck, thinking all the while that they can still make it. I can't see the future…but it would make me feel better if you promised. One of us will be the best, no matter what."_

"_I promise," Violet swore, her wide eyes solemn. "No matter what."_

_It happened so quickly._

_A Houndoom burst from the shadows, snarling a guttural stream of obscenities. Before either of the could react, it bit the money pouch off Daniels belt with white fangs, sprinting down the street on dark paws. Violet took off after it immediately, her long legs pounding on the stone before Daniel could protest._

"_Violet, wait!" he called out behind her. He ran after her, struggling to catch up before she did something stupid. If she actually caught up to that thing… "Violet, no! Stay away from that thing, it's not safe!"_

_The Houndoom turned a corner, skittering on sharp claws. It was fast, much faster than they were with just two legs. Violet was still ahead of him. Daniel gritted his teeth, pouring on more speed._

_She stopped suddenly after turning the corner, standing stock still in the middle of the street. He caught up to her, his heart pounding. "Violet. Don't _do_ that!" he complained, breathing hard. Stars but she was fast! She didn't respond, staring straight ahead._

_Daniel didn't see the girl in the street until he followed Violet's gaze. Her dark, straight hair hung down to her waist. She was standing over something black on the street._

_The girl turned her head towards them, revealing cold blue eyes under a fringe of black bangs. Her left arm was coated with blood from fingers to elbow. It dripped onto the pavement. _

_Daniel knew who she was._

_Sabrina stood over the corpse of the Houndoom, her eyes merciless and dead. Daniels money pouch lay spilled across the ground, soaked with the spreading pool of red._

"_Violet, we're leaving," Daniel whispered, tugging on her arm. She didn't respond, staring in horror at the dead Pokemon. "Violet, come _on_," he insisted, pulling her away. Finally she relented, stumbling slightly as he dragged her away._

_He ran until they were far away from the scene. When he stopped, he collapsed onto the ground, breathing hard. He wrapped his arms around Violet, murmuring comforting words in her ear while she shook, her beautiful eyes uncomprehending._

~o~

Indigo's eyes shifted warily as he looked at his opponents. Six…seven…eight. He grimaced. There was no way to tell which Sandslash was the real one. And on top of that, every time he tried to use his Aura vision they would all attack at once, effectively stopping him.

This trainer had learned to be wary of his second sight early on in the battle. He was tiring, but so was the Sandslash. It would only take one more attack from either of them to finish this battle.

"Violet, any suggestions?" he called back to his trainer, his eyes never leaving the opponents in front of him. They were at a standstill.

"Um…let's see," Violet mused, studying the battlefield. He could practically see her bite her lip. "Oh! Indigo, jump, and use Dark Pulse towards the ground!"

He started at the odd request. What had she seen? His eyes fell on a small hole behind two of the Sandslash clones. His eyes widened, and he sprang into the air as the real Sandslash burst from the packed earth, it's claws slashing the place his feet had been seconds earlier. He fired his Dark Pulse attack, finally knocking out the tenacious Pokemon.

"The victory goes to the trainer in the blue corner, Violet Hikanashi!" The referee called out, and a few people cheered from the sidelines. Indigo straightened and grinned as Violet jogged to stand by his side.

Her opponent, a sandy haired boy of about fifteen, groaned and returned his Sandslash to its Poke ball. "You are good," the boy acknowledged sheepishly. "Will you battle me again sometime?"

"Sure," Violet said with an easy smile. "You're not bad yourself. That Ponyta of yours is something else."

"Yeah, Star is pretty amazing," the boy said with a grin, obviously pleased. One of his friends called for his attention, and the boy returned to the sidelines after handing Violet the prize money from the match.

"Hey, Hikanashi, its my turn next!" An auburn haired girl called out. Violet turned to Indigo with a questioning look.

"Lets take a break for now," Indigo suggested. "Let someone else battle." He would never admit it, but he was exhausted. These trainers were on a completely different level from the rookies in Pewter. They had only lost four matches today, out of countless others.

He was glad they had come.

Violet nodded and turned to the girl. "Sorry, we're taking a breather. Another time, alright? And no Nathan, I'm not battling your Garchomp again. Once was more than enough."

Violet had started out acting shy around so many people, but the more she had battled, the more open she had gotten, until she was laughing and making jokes with everyone there. Indigo's mouth quirked up in a half smile. She had come a long way.

"Hah! Mr. Fin is stronger than your Jynx! He's prettier too," Violet said with a grin, finishing a conversation Indigo had missed, evoking a few laughs from the crowd of trainers. Another battle started on the field they had just cleared, with a Charmander that evolved as soon as it hit the ground. Cheers and murmurs broke out among the spectators watching the match.

"Hey, Indigo, I have a few Super potions left. Are you feeling alright?" Violet asked, sitting down on one of the benches lining the practice area.

"Save them. You already used up practically all the supplies we got in Cerulean. And we haven't even faced Sabrina yet," Indigo said, relaxing against the cold metal of the bench.

"We can always get new supplies," Violet said, rolling her eyes. "As long as you feel up to the escalators that is."

Indigo growled at the thought of the moving stairs. "By the way, what time is it? That girl wanted us to go to her house at seven, didn't she?"

Violet blinked, and looked at the clock hanging on the side of the dojo. "Ah! We're late!" she wailed, scrambling to her feet.

"I can't believe I lost track of the time!" Violet groaned, pushing her legs faster as they ran down the street. "It's already past eight!"

"How far is it?" Indigo said, his breathing slightly labored from the constant battling earlier. He made a quick check to make sure nothing was directly in front of him before slipping his eyes shut.

"It's next to the train station," Violet said, pointing, "So around that corner and then to the left. From there you turn into the residential area. The house number is 2217."

"Got it," Indigo said, the house already in his sight, glowing in blue's and silver. He could see people inside, their unique aura's standing out, even through the walls. The house was about eight minutes walk, but they would get there much faster at their current pace. It was a good thing Violet knew how to run.

He was about to open his eyes when he felt a sensation like a knife, slashing at his mind. His sight blurred crazily, before returning to normal, making him miss a step. He suddenly became aware of an impossibly bright Aura, shining from a gap in between the buildings the had just passed. His vision around the area was distorted, as though there was a rip in space.

What on earth?

Indigo opened his eyes. "Violet, I'll catch up in a minute, alright? I need to check something out."

Violet looked at him in surprise, her cheeks flushed from the run. "Are you sure you won't get lost? I can wait if you want…"

"It's fine. I'll see you in a minute."

"Alright. Catch up soon!" she called behind her shoulder as he slowed, before running ahead.

Indigo slowed to a walk, closing his eyes again.

Something strange was going on here. It was impossible for an Aura to be that bright. It had nearly _blinded_ him. What monster could have an Aura like that?

He let his eyes slip closed again cautiously, picking out the harsh glow again easily. He walked slowly back the way they had come and stood in front of a dark alleyway. Shadows clung to the small space, and the building completely hid it from the light of the setting sun.

The source of that power was within, somewhere.

"Hello?" Indigo called warily, half expecting an answer. His Aura vision was practically useless in the face of the swirling distortion, like he was confused. He let it drop, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness normally.

A figure stood at the end of the alley, back turned towards him. Straight, dark hair hung to her waist.

"You have sharp eyes," the figure noted, in a shocking, feminine voice. Her dark hair flowed across her shoulders as she turned to face him. Her features were partially hidden in shadow, but there was no mistaking the cold look in her eyes.

Indigo took an involuntary step back. What was he doing here? He should have stayed with Violet. "My mistake," Indigo ground out, fear spiking through his spine. He turned, a sudden, irrational desire to run overtaking him.

"You….you are not what you seem to be, are you, Indigo?" the young woman spoke, a small amount of interest coloring her tone. Indigo froze. How had she….

"How did I know your name? Heh…you aren't from around here, if you don't know."

Indigo turned to face her. What _was_ this woman? He met her eyes squarely. "Who are you?"

"I am the oracle of time, and a master of Psychic Pokemon. You might know me by the name 'Sabrina'." the woman said indifferently. She stepped closer to him, making the shadows that clung to her fade. "I see your future…or, you could say that I see the past. You won't be able to make it without her you know."

"What are you talking about?" Indigo growled, edging away slowly. Something was wrong with this woman. Force bound his legs, and Indigo found he could not move. Sabrina smiled half heartedly, one hand outstretched. She advanced, moving until she was a hands breath away from him.

"Would you like to know a secret?" she whispered, her lips quirking into a smile. She chuckled at the look on his face. "No? No you do not. I had a vision just now…and it doesn't seem fair of me not to tell you. Who knows, you may even be able to do something about it."

Fear, unlike anything he had felt before gripped him. He could see her Aura even without his second sight now, swirling madly around her form like cold fire, destructive and deadly. He fought against the force binding him, but he could not move.

Sabrina took a step back, appraising him with an icy gaze. "I see the girl with violet eyes, warrior. She's going to die in front of your eyes. And you aren't strong enough to stop it!"

With those words the force binding Indigo snapped, releasing him. He fell to one knee, gasping for air.

When he looked up again, Sabrina was gone.

~o~

"_And it would seem that Rapidash has fallen! Victory goes to the challenger, Daniel Knight! This is amazing folks, Blaine had been defeated!" _

_The T.V reporter on screen praised Daniel and his strategies, and showed several slow motion shots of his Gardevoir's final Psychic attack. "Ladies and gentlemen, we may be witnessing the battle of a future champion! Daniel Knight, the powerful rookie…."_

"_Hey Violet, why are you always watching that guys news reports?" a classmate asked, turning to face her. _

"_D-danny is a friend of mine," the girl said self consciously, twirling her growing hair around her fingers._

"_You? Friends with the Daniel Knight? Yeah right," the boy scoffed. "You aren't even a Pokemon trainer!"_

"_I-it's true!" Violet protested in self defense. "And my dad says I can't become a trainer until I turn sixteen…."_

"_Don't you know trainers start at age ten? You're already fourteen, you should be well on your way by now. Let me guess, 'D-danny' will help you?" the boy scoffed, laughing at her. _

"_That's right!" a cheerful voice boomed out. A dark haired teen clapped his hand on the boys shoulder. "Now, what were you saying to Violet?" _

_The boy went pale, staring in shock at Daniel Knight. He squeaked, and made a speedy exit, throwing an incredulous look at Violet over his shoulder. Daniel laughed._

"_Danny! You're back!" Violet sang, throwing her arms around him. "Did you beat Blue already?"_

"_Not exactly," the teen said sheepishly, running a hand through his hair. "I ended up catching a new Pokemon though. So I figure I can train here while I get to know him better, and go face Blue in a few weeks, after school gets out. That way you could come with me, maybe…"_

_Violet grinned, her eyes lighting up. "Really? You mean it?"_

"_Yeah, I mean it," Daniel grinned. "It's just not the same without my little good luck charm there. I don't battle half as well without you!"_

_Violet beamed. She traveled along with him whenever she got the chance, around Kanto, and even parts of Johto. She was never able to stay out long…a week, at most, before her father noticed her missing. But those weeks were the best of her life._

"_Anyways, I thought I'd pick you up from school." Daniel frowned. "Are they still picking on you?"_

"_Ah, only a little," Violet said hurriedly, smiling a bit too fast. "A-and I've made a few friends, honest!"_

_Daniel sighed gustily, closing his golden eyes. "I'm glad. Just don't get too far away from me, little Vie. Promise me that?"_

"_Of course, silly!" Violet rolled her eyes, grinning at him. "Why would I do that?"_

_Daniel Knight smiled, reaching out for her hand. "Come on home. My mom made cookies to celebrate my visit. And I have something to show you, when we get there."_

"_A surprise?" Violet wondered, cocking her head to the side._

"_The very best of surprises," Daniel promised, laughter in his eyes. "Let's get going."_

~o~

Violet paced outside the Knight's family home, her forehead creased with worry. Where could Indigo be? She shouldn't have left him alone in the city. What had she been thinking? He got dizzy on _escalators!_

She had just decided to go look for him when she saw a Lucario walk down the street. "Indigo!" she called out, her voice startling in the quiet of the evening. She ran the last distance between them. "Where have you been? Are you alright?"

He looked up at the sound of her voice, as though she had broken him from deep thought. "It's nothing," he said finally. "I just sensed something…odd. I'm sure it was nothing." Indigo shook his head as if to clear it. "Violet, tell me about Sabrina. Is she really…psychic?"

Violet blinked, startled by the reference to the gym leader. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. When she opened them, her face was normal again. "Yeah, she's psychic. They say she's never wrong…Indigo? What's wrong?" Violet broke off, looking into his eyes. He looked ill suddenly.

"Don't worry about it," Indigo growled, waving her off. "I just…am a bit tired. You _don't_ need to worry about it. I won't let anything hurt you."

"What would hurt me?" Violet wondered out loud. Why was he acting so strangely? What had she missed, to make him act like this?

"Your friend is waiting," Indigo pointed out, looking at the house. "Unless you've changed your mind?"

He had a point. Violet took a shaky breath, looking at that house, the place she had practically grown up in.

Violet's mood fell a little at the reminder of the upcoming visit. She still felt this was a bad idea. But she had promised Kylie.

"I guess not," Violet answered finally, her mind made up. "Let's go." Before she could lose her nerve, she walked up to the familiar front door and knocked. She almost hoped no one was home.

Within seconds of her knock the door was flung open and Violet was staring into Kylies eyes. The older girl grinned and hugged her suddenly, crushing the air from Violets lungs.

"About time you got here! Where have you been? Oh, come inside! Hey mom, Vie is here!" Kylie sang, releasing Violet so she could pull her inside. The dark haired girl gasped for breath, grinning at Kylies exuberance. She saw Indigo follow the two inside cautiously, shutting the door behind him.

"Sorry, I was at the dojo and lost track of time, "Violet explained ruefully, smiling despite herself.

"You and that place," Kylie grumbled, rolling her gold eyes.

A middle aged woman appeared at the top of the stairs. She had dark, chestnut brown hair, and soft blue eyes. She saw Violet and she rushed down the stairs, pulling her into a fierce hug.

"Mrs. Knight, it's good to see you again," Violet whispered, hugging the woman who had been the closest thing to mother Violet had ever known. The older woman was shaking.

"Don't you ever do that again young lady," she scolded softly. "Do you have any idea what we went through? You and Avery went missing, and Daniel…" she trailed off. "We were so worried! How could you just leave like that?"

"I couldn't stay," Violet whispered softly, hoping the older woman would understand. She was released and Mrs. Knight looked into her eyes, searching.

"I get it," the woman said with a sigh. "Heaven knows I don't blame you…but try to visit more often, alright dear?"

"Yes ma'am," Violet said with a grin. She blinked and turned around, remembering Indigo. "Oh, I forgot to introduce you. Kylie, Mrs. Knight, this is Indigo. He's my partner."

"Nice to meet you Indigo," Kylie said with a grin, holding out a hand.

Indigo chuckled and grabbed her hand firmly. "The pleasure is all mine."

Violet fought back a grin as Kylie shrieked.

"Oh, I forgot to mention that he can talk…"

"Yeah, you could have mentioned that!"

An Absol poked its head around the corner. It saw Violet and leapt at her, tackling her to the ground.

"Violet!" Indigo said, alarmed at the sudden attack.

"It's fine Indigo. Domino just missed me isn't that right?" Violet cooed, petting the Absols silky white fur.

"Sol," the Absol agreed, nuzzling her fiercely.

"Is that thing the family pet?" Indigo muttered. Domino pointedly ignored him.

Kylie smiled as Violet tried to sit, laughing. "It does me good to see that Absol happy again. He hasn't been the same since Danny died. He wouldn't even eat for weeks, and he still growls at the rest of us. He even bit Tara a few times."

Violet blinked. Domino could be moody and self righteous, but for him to bite someone… Her thoughts were cut off as a second Pokemon jumped on her stomach, sending her back to the ground, rubbing her face against Violets.

"Nami…can't…breathe!" Violet choked out, trying to move the Vaporeon. Nami huffed, but moved so she was sitting off to the side of the teen. Violet sat up, gasping for air. "S'good to see you two too," she laughed ruefully.

Kylie started laughing. "If we'd known you would cheer them up like that we would have dragged you back forever ago!"

"Yeah, they like me. And they almost squished me," Violet complained, glaring at the two Pokemon. They at least had the decency to look abashed. "Just don't let Fury tackle me and I'll be fine." Being squished by a Salamence seemed like a pretty bad way to die.

Violets mood lightened just a bit, and she smiled. Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all. She had missed everyone. _Everyone_.

Violet winced.

Kylie chuckled and grabbed Violets arm. "Come on, I'll show you your room. And then we can watch a movie! We just got 'The Courageous Bidoof' on DVD!" Violet made a face, and Kylie laughed out loud.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't do that too you. How does 'The Crystal Guardian' sound to you?" Kylie asked.

"I haven't seen that one yet," Violet said with a grin. "Sounds good!"

Indigo would get to watch his first movie! She wondered if Lucario's could eat popcorn. Maybe he could, since Indigo had been human once…she wondered, not for the first time, what Indigo had looked like before, as a human. Her mental image of him strongly resembled Daniel, with dark hair and an easy grin. She winced slightly at the thought of her friend.

It was hard, unbelievably so, to keep her memories from surfacing, especially with so many reminders of his existence around her. But it helped that she did not want to remember.

~o~

"_Come on," Daniel said, laughing. "Keep your eyes closed…ok, now!"_

_Violet obediently opened her eyes, blinking in the sudden sunlight. Daniel's Gardevoir, Echo was standing in the grass off to the side, back turned. She heard their approach and turned around, an object curled protectively in her arms. _

"_An egg!" Violet exclaimed her eyes going round. "Is it Echo's?"_

"_That's right! She met a handsome Gallade in Fuchsia that belonged to a rival of mine." Daniel said, throwing an amused glance at his Pokemon._

"_Anyways, you won't believe what happened after that. The second Echo first showed me the egg, an Absol shows up out of nowhere! It was growling something fierce, and Echo got protective. They ended up fighting, and Echo won even though she was at a type disadvantage."_

"_Did you catch him?" Violet asked, her eyes shining. Being a Pokemon trainer sounded like so much fun!"_

"_Yup, that's right!" Daniel said with a grin, his unusual golden eyes sparkling. "Do you want to meet him?"_

"_Yeah, sure!" Violet said, smiling. Daniel grinned and threw a blue and black Poke ball with a saffron crescent moon design - a Moon ball, of all things - into the air. Golden light spilled from the sphere, and the dark Pokemon was released, staring at them with cold eyes._

_The Absol looked at Violet, and then at the white and green egg Echo was holding. She glared at him, holding it closer protectively._

"_Wow he's so pretty!" Violet gushed, eyes sparkling. The Absol started in surprise at being described as 'pretty', and shot a dry look at her. Violet giggled. _

"_Absols are pretty rare in the Kanto region. They're strong, fierce, and protective Pokemon, but they get misunderstood a lot. They're known for only appearing right before a disaster, in hopes of preventing it. Because of that, lots of folks think that the Absols cause disasters. One of them appeared right before the volcano on Cinnabar exploded, and another showed up with the incident with Lugia in the Johto region," Daniel explained, patting the white fur on the Absol's head fondly._

"_It must be lonely," Violet said, biting her lip as she looked down. "Knowing what's going to happen, and trying to stop it, only to have people misunderstand, and hate you for it…"_

_Domino looked at her with surprise at her words, as though they were unexpected. Violet straightened, fire in her eyes, making the Dark type take an involuntary step back. "But that doesn't matter now because you have me and Danny! We're with you now, so you'll always have friends! We'll always believe in you, no matter what!" _

_The Absol looked questioningly at Echo. She shrugged, as if to say, 'she's always like that'. _

"_His name is Domino," Daniel confided in her, mischief in his eyes. "After that time you…"_

"_We promised never to speak of that again!" Violet protested, blushing bright red. "W-what are you going to do with Echo's egg?" _

_Daniel rolled his eyes at her obvious change of subject. "I'm not doing anything. You're taking the egg, Violet."_

"_Me?" Violet repeated incredulously, her mind going blank. _

_Daniel rolled his eyes at her. "Yes, you," he confirmed, as though it was obvious. "I already asked Echo, and she agrees with me. Ralts respond to emotions, and you're always happy! So there's no way it couldn't grow up to be happy and kind! Perfect, huh?"_

"_Uh…"_

"_Besides, it's not like I can bring a baby to the Pokemon League," Daniel finished, rolling his eyes. "So this way everyone is happy."_

"_But…what about my dad?" Violet protested, still quite unable to think. A Pokemon of her own? Just hers?_

"_Your dad needs to loosen up. You'll be a kick butt trainer, you don't have to wait until you're sixteen. Do you remember that promise we made? One of us will be the Pokemon Master, no matter what. You can't break a promise like that Violet," the brunette said seriously, looking her in the eyes. _

_Violet was silent, imagining what it would be like to travel with Pokemon. But at the same time, could she really go against her fathers most heavily enforced rule?_

_She brushed her shoulder length hair back and sighed. "I'm not sure…I'll think about it, okay? I-I'll give you my answer after you beat Sabrina, promise!"_

_Daniel went still. He sighed. "Vie, I'm not sure about that one. Sabrina honestly scares me. She's so sadistic, and her psychic abilities are unnatural. It's like a human who has the abilities of a Pokemon…it's just not right."_

_Violet blinked. This was new to her. She hadn't known he felt that way about Sabrina. But after that one time she had seen her… _

"_But aren't you going to the Pokemon League? You'll have to face her eventually…and besides, if you face her now you can stay in town for a while longer!" Violet's face went pink, and she twirled her hair around her finger self consciously. "Y-your family has missed you a lot…"_

"_Just my family? What about you?" Daniel said, mock hurt. He moved in closer, meeting her eyes even when she tried to look away "Are you saying you haven't missed me?" _

_Violet looked down, her face furiously flushed. "Of course I've missed you. You are my friend after all," the dark haired girl whispered, staring resolutely at the ground. She felt a familiar hand rest on her head. _

"_I get it Vie…I really do. How you feel I mean," Daniel said, lifting up her chin with one finger. Violets heart thudded at his words. Did he mean it? Did he really…_

"_You look up to me as an awesome role model!" Daniel said, grinning widely. "Don't worry, I think of you as a cute younger sibling! And a rival in the making! One day you'll be a force to be reckoned with, little Violet!" _

_There was a beat of silence. Daniels Gardevoir tittered, covering her mouth with one dainty hand. Violet hit her head with her palm._

"_Violet? What's wrong, are you feeling sick?" Daniel asked in concern, his golden eyes completely unaware._

"_Very," she groaned, resisting the urge to hit her head against the nearest wall. "I just need a minute…"_

"_I'll call a doctor! Oh wait, Nurse Joy should be able to help…" Daniel jumped as Kylie tapped him on the shoulder, having just come out of the house._

"_You idiot, Violet isn't sick like that!" the fifteen year old blonde said, exasperation coloring her tone. Her older brother stared at her, confused, until understanding lit up his eyes. _

"_She feels sick because she wants me to beat Sabrina already? Violet, you were concerned I would keep putting it off and never face her, weren't you? Well….if it's for you, I'll beat her, no matter what! I'll face her at the end of the week. First I have to train though." _

_Daniel rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. He released Fury into the air and climbed on, sitting at the base of his Salamence's neck. "I'll see you two later, okay? I've got work to do!" With that, Fury rose into the air, carrying the clueless prodigy away. _

_Kylie stared after her brother, her eye twitching. "He never slows down, does he…sorry Vie, I tried…"_

"_It's fine," Violet sighed in resignation. Her mouth quirked up in a half smile. "He really is an idiot. But if he weren't he wouldn't be Danny."_

~o~

"_Oh Jack….I love you, and I always have!" _

"_Cindy…..nothing could keep me from your side, not even the legendaries themselves!" _

Violet turned to Kylie. "Isn't this a little overdone?" she whispered.

"Totally. Is he….posing?" Kylie giggled, covering her mouth. Indigo shot them a dirty look and the two girls fell silent.

He turned back to the screen, watching intently. Cindy had finally admitted her forbidden love to Jack after their families had reconciled in order to defeat the evil Tiberius, who had captured the three legendary birds in order to destroy the land. But Cindy still struggled with her dangerous attraction to Tiberius's younger brother, Sosuke, especially since he had freed her from his brothers prison at the risk of his own life. What would happen next?

"_Cindy," _a young man said searchingly, stepping on screen from the shadows. He had dark hair that hung over one of his smoldering eyes. Kylie fanned herself with one hand and Violet grinned. Indigo rolled his eyes at them.

"_You have a plan? But Sosuke, it's too dangerous!" _Cindy said, tears at the corners of her ridiculously blue eyes.

"_It has to be done, Cindy. My older brother is a danger to all of us now," _Sosuke said gravely, capturing Cindy's hands in his own, "_We can only stop him together…."_

Violet snorted. "Yeah, and Jack just sits there this entire time? What's he thinking?"

"It's not the brightest thing to do," Indigo agreed, watching the screen.

"_Tiberius! Your plan stops here! We'll stop you no matter what!" _Cindy shouted, Sosuke at her side.

"_So you've turned traitor Sosuke? I have no further use for you…but first, I'll kill the girl! Fufufu, now die!"_

"_Cindy!" _Sosuke shouted, throwing himself in front of the attack. An explosion rocked the screen. Violet bit her lip and Kylie gasped.

"_Oh Sosuke…" _Cindy whispered, cradling his face. "_We never would have won without your help. Thank you."_

She leaned down and kissed him, right before his eyes closed. Jack put a hand on her shoulder and the two of them looked through the destroyed wall of Tiberius's castle at the rising sun. The screen faded to black and the credits started rolling.

Kylie laughed, flicking on the lights. "That movie is so cheesy. I love it so much!"

"Over-used plotlines and ridiculous amounts of drama. Gotta love it!" Violet agreed wryly. She turned to Indigo. "Did you like your first movie?"

"It was surprisingly good," Indigo admitted. "It's amazing how realistic it was, for being acted out."

"Ha! There, you see Vie? You owe me!" Kylie said with a victorious grin. "There's no way someone wouldn't enjoy their first movie."

"You didn't see him on the escalator," Violet grumbled, handing Kylie her share of the jellybeans.

"You bet with jelly beans?" Indigo asked with amusement. Violet smiled sheepishly.

"I'm going to bed," Kylie said, yawning. "It's getting late anyways. You two should get some sleep."

"I will," Violet promised, rolling her eyes. "But I'm going to get some fresh air first. It's stuffy in here."

"Just don't go far," Kylie said, unconcerned. "If you see a weirdo sick Mr. Fin on him."

"I'll go with you," Indigo said, Sabrina's prediction at the back of his mind. Violet nodded absentmindedly while she looked for her shoes. She smiled at him and opened the door carefully, trying not to wake anyone.

Indigo took a deep breath, enjoying the night air. He hadn't realized how much he had missed the smell of night air. It was fully nighttime outside, but Saffron stayed lit, with streetlamps and the skyscrapers that never really went dark. Most of the stars were obscured by the pollution and the curtain of light surrounding the large city.

"It's nice, don't you think? Being able to laugh with friends," Violet said, sitting down on the grass in front of the Knight's house. She smiled softly, but her eyes were sad.

"Violet…" Indigo began, undeniably worried. Now was the first time they had really had alone all day. Now was the time for answers. He needed to know what was going on, and why Violet was acting so strangely.

The Lucario stopped, his ear twitching. They were not alone. He turned, and saw the young girl from before, staring at Violet with undisguised anger in her golden eyes. Her deep brown hair was pulled into pigtails.

Violet saw her too, her features freezing like before. "Tara," she breathed with a sigh. The girl flinched at the sound of her own name. She looked down.

"I just don't get it…why doesn't anyone blame you?" the young girl said angrily, her eyes hard and furious. "Kylie laughs like its nothing…a-and even Domino is happy you're here! Why?"

"Tara, I-" Violet began, but the young girl cut her off sharply.

"None of brothers Pokemon even like me now, and it's all your fault! How could you come back after what you did?"

"What I did? But what…how do you…" Violet said, taking a step back, her eyes wide.

"That's right," Tara hissed, the hatred in her face making her seem older than she her years. "I know what you did. I know you killed him. He was your friend! And my _brother!_ How could you do it?"

"You don't understand," Violet said quietly, her eyes wide. Indigo watched with alarm as the girl took a step forward. This child looked ready to kill his trainer. He tensed, ready to hold them apart if it came to it.

"Then _make_ me understand!" Tara shouted, so loud Indigo was surprised no one came rushing out to see what was wrong. "Are you saying you didn't kill him? I know that's a lie! Are you denying it?"

"No, I didn't…I would never!" Violet defended herself hotly. "But I-"

"But you _what_?" Tara spat, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.

"But I may as well have!" Violet shouted, her voice loud. It echoed in the sudden silence her words left behind. Violet slumped, the expression on her face so heartbreaking it tore him apart to see. "I might as well have killed him," she repeated softly.

~o~

_Daniel trained the entire week, with Violets help, until his Pokemon were ready to handle anything. Domino grew in level until he matched the rest of his trainers team, and Tsubaki the Lileep evolved into a Cradily during a practice battle._

_Meanwhile, Echo's egg hardened, and started to move occasionally. For hours, Violet would hold the egg, memorizing its design. It was patterned green and white, symmetrically, the colors never blending into each other. Two crimson triangles broke the pattern near the top of the egg, the color of blood._

_It was the evening of the seventh day, and Violet was holding Echo's egg once again, when Daniel started getting nervous. _

"_Vie, she's too strong! They say that she could beat a Pokemon using nothing but her _own _Psychic powers…and she can talk to her Pokemon telepathically to boot. So we won't know what she's going to do next, and we'll over think it and…"_

_Violet cut him off patiently. "You're over thinking it. Just trust your Pokemon to earn you the win, and everything will be alright. Domino could take out any of her Pokemon, and Fury is like a force of nature. Stop worrying. Relax." _

_Daniel sighed. "You're right. L-lets go, ok? Before I change my mind again." _

"_Sounds good," Violet said, giving him a dazzling smile. She knew he would be fine. "Come on, cheer up! It'll be alright!"_

_Daniel just sighed and ran his hand through his dark brown hair. Violet rolled her eyes at him and pulled on his hand, leading him around the corner of the dojo to Sabrina's gym. It had stood over them during training, a reminder of the challenge they fought to defeat. The entire building was painted glittering white that never seemed to get dirty. _

_Violet let Daniels hand go, giving him a pointed look._

_He took a deep breath, shooting a wry glance at his shy friend. "Right…we can do this," he said, almost to himself. He opened his eyes and looked at Violet, his expression sheepish. "I can't believe I needed _you_ to tell me to get my butt in gear," he laughed. Daniel put his hands on the door._

_An explosion of fiery light burst from Daniels pack, and suddenly Domino was in front of them, fangs bared as he snarled furiously, braced between Daniel and the gym._

"_What's wrong?" Daniel said, his eyes worried. He reached out a hand towards his Pokemon, drawing it back sharply as his Absol tried to bite him. _

"_Domino? What's gotten into…AH!" Violet yelped, stepping back when she saw the figure that had just appeared from thin air. "Sabrina?" _

"_Stop this racket!" Sabrina ordered sharply. Her raven black bangs fell almost to her cold eyes. "I despise Dark types. You dare to bring one to my doorstep?"_

_Violet shuddered, remembering what she had seen Sabrina do to the _last_ dark type she had encountered. "Don't hurt him," she pleaded, standing in between Danny and Sabrina. "He didn't mean to."_

_Sabrina's eyebrows rose as Violet took a stand. She smirked. "Sorry? You will be." She raised one pale hand, touching the snarling Absol between the eyes. _

_Domino collapsed to the stone._

"_What did you do that for?" Danny yelled furiously, checking his Pokemon's pulse. He was alive, but unconscious. In other words, he was lucky._

_Sabrina chuckled softly. "Fight me without such obvious advantages. True battles are between trainers minds, not between Pokemon. If you are deserving of my badge, you should not rely on crutches like type advantages. I will be waiting, Daniel Knight."_

_Daniel knelt on the ground, his eyes shadowed. He stood, returning Domino to his Moon ball before turning to Violet. "We're going home."_

"_What?" Violet repeated, shocked. "You can't give up! Especially after she hurt Domino! It's just not right!"_

"_What am I supposed to do Violet? Domino was my biggest advantage, and he's out for the count right now," Daniel snapped, gripping the blue and black poke ball tightly. His hand was shaking. "Do you really think I could beat Sabrina without him? Well?!"_

_Violet looked down, her eyes shaded. "Yeah, I do believe that," she whispered. "But if you don't, then don't bother trying! I thought you trusted your partners more than that!"_

_Daniel sighed, his anger evaporating. He couldn't stay mad at her if he tried. "What if Domino was trying to warn me? Then what?"_

"_It's just a gym battle," Violet scoffed, rolling her eyes. "What's the worst that could happen? You lose?"_

_Daniel was quiet, thinking on her words. "You're right," he admitted finally, as though the words pained him. "Twice in one day! I must be losing my touch."_

"_Can't lose what you never had," Violet said, grinning at him with relief. This was the Daniel she knew. "Do you want me to watch Echo's egg?"_

"_Please," Daniel said, his breathing ragged. "It's so close to hatching…I don't need to be worrying about that too. Will you?"_

"_Of course," Violet promised, holding the egg closer. She knew everything would be alright. Danny could handle anything. She knew it. _

_~o~_

"_Nami! Use Hydro Pump, hurry!" Daniel called out. His Vaporeon dodged the Shadow ball, jumping into the air a split second before it exploded beneath her. She bared her fangs and shot a massive stream of swirling water at Sabrina's Espeon._

_The lilac Espeon's eyes glowed red for the briefest moment in a last ditch Psychic attack, a split second before the Hydro Pump collided with it. The Psychic managed to hit, and both Nami and the Espeon fell over, unconscious. _

"_It's a draw! Both Pokemon are unable to battle!" the referee called, waving his flags. Violet beamed, sitting cross legged on the floor off to the side of the field, Echo's eggs between her legs. _

"_Return, Nami. You did a good job," Daniel Knight said with a grin. Nami had taken out Espeon, and a Venomoth, and Tsubaki had managed to tie with Sabrina's Kadabra. There was just one to go._

_They could do this. _

"_Alakazam," Sabrina whispered. Space contracted in front of her and a golden Psychic type appeared from the distortion, holding two silver spoons. The last Pokemon was Sabrina's strongest - Alakazam. _

"_Fight, Echo!" Daniel called out, releasing his starter. The Gardevoir's eyes flickered to the sidelines, where Violet sat with her egg, before she focused on her opponent, sizing him up. The Alakazam did the same, wary of the female psychic Pokemon._

"_You can do it Echo!" Violet cheered, smiling widely. The Gardevoir shot her an amused look. _

"_Sabrina is down to a single Pokemon, and the challenger, Daniel Knight has two remaining Pokemon. But he won't take down this Alakazam so easily folks!" a female reporter said into the camera, having somehow found out that _the _Daniel Knight was challenging Sabrina. "Up next is a battle of Psychic's, a challenge of mental ability! Will the rookie's Gardevoir be able to defeat Sabrina's Alakazam? Stay tuned to find out!"_

_Violet rolled her eyes. "Reporters are all like that," she confided in the egg, watching the battle with her chin in one hand._

_Alakazam didn't attack, instead swaying slightly from side to side. Echo narrowed her beautiful eyes at him and tensed, waiting. _

_Daniel was silent, having already decided to leave the first attack up to Echo. Orders given out loud could startle Psychic Pokemon, and if that happened, even for the briefest moment…_

_It happened in an instant. The Alakazams form was outlined in gold as he fired a Psychic, and Echo responded in a split second, her own sky blue Psychic clashing with his in the middle of the field. The two colors fought and swirled in a mad dance, neither one gaining the upper hand. It almost looked like an aurora. _

_The two attacks dissipated, having canceled each other out, and the two Pokemon looked at each other with a wary respect. Violet bit her lip, leaning forward slightly. When she did she felt the egg jump a little in her hands. _

"_There there now Avery, shhhh. Your mommy will be just fine," Violet crooned to the egg. Avery was the name she and Daniel had decided on, figuring that it could work for a boy or a girl. Echo seemed to like it in any case. _

_Violet was surprised when the egg jumped again and wobbled slightly. _

"_Err….Daniel?" she called out tentatively. Echo and Alakazam were exchanging blows, countless Magical Leaf attacks versus Energy Ball, and Daniel was finally giving orders. _

"_This isn't the best time Vie," Danny called back, gritting his teeth. Echo was hit by a Focus Blast and careened backwards, crying out. _

_The egg wobbled furiously. "Daniel, the egg…I think it's hatching!" As if to emphasize that, the top of the egg cracked, right through one of the scarlet shapes. _

"_What? Now?" Daniel said, whipping his head around. Echo made a gesture with her hands, and a Barrier shot up between her and her foe. She turned, watching her egg expectantly. _

"_What is this? Ladies and Gentleman, it seems as though the battle is on hold! A Pokemon egg is hatching right here in the stadium!" the reporter gasped, her blue green hair bobbing. The cameraman panned over to Violet and the egg. _

"_Focus, or you will lose," Sabrina deadpanned, and her Alakazam fired an attack at the Barrier, almost shattering it. Echo didn't turn, watching her egg intently. _

"_Um, Avery…" _

_The egg cracked again, small pieces breaking off. Violet winced. "You just had to choose now, didn't you? What will you do if your mommy loses because she was distracted, hmm?" _

_The egg was still for a moment and then began cracking at a furious pace, bits of shell breaking off and falling in Violets lap. With a burst of strange, deep purple light, the egg hatched, and a tiny, gasping Ralts tumbled out._

_Violet caught her before she could hit the ground, thankfully, and the Ralts looked up at her, it's eyes hidden behind it's green bangs. It opened it's mouth, and a small, song-like note escaped from it. _

"AHHHHHH!"_ Sabrina screamed, clutching her head. Her fingers dug into her raven hair, and she fell to her knees. She panted, and beads of sweat broke out along her forehead. Her blue eyes moved frantically back and forth, seeing something that no one else could. _

_Her Alakazam groaned and its head fell into it's hands, as it saw the same thing going through his master's mind._

"_Sa-Sabrina has fallen? Is this a vision of the future? I've never seen anything like this folks! What could have triggered it?" the reporter gasped as Sabrina stood shakily. Her midnight hair swirled around her shoulders and she pointed a long, pale finger at Violet. _

"_I see the future, and the one who will bring chaos and death! She will break minds and shatter souls, and none will be able to stop her, only slow her down. Colors will fight and the winner will determine the fate of the child, before finally, she will kill the heir to the land!"_

_Violet's blood ran cold. She realized that Sabrina had been pointing to the newborn Ralts in her arms. _

"_What are you talking about?" Daniel yelled, having realized the same thing. "Avery is just a baby, she hasn't done anything wrong!"_

"_No…but she will," Sabrina spoke softly, obviously shaken. "For the sake of human lives…that Pokemon must be killed!" _

_Alakazam rose, its eyes shaded. It focused its steely gaze on the newborn Avery, and the small Pokemon shrunk back in Violet's arms, whimpering. _

"_Kill Avery?" Violet repeated, her lilac eyes going wide with shock. "For something…she hasn't done yet?"_

"_I'll never let that happen!" Daniel cried out, furious. He stood between Violet and Alakazam, his arms outstretched.. Echo joined him, power crackling up and down her arms. Avery's mother was radiating cold anger. _

"_Echo. Get Vie and Avery out of here," Daniel ordered, maximizing Fury's Ultra ball. "I'll hold her off. As soon as you two are away get Avery inside a Poke ball and hide her. You know the place, Vie."_

"_But-" Violet protested, not wanting to leave him behind. He put a finger to her lips, silencing her, before smiling slightly._

"_I'll be fine. Now go!" _

"_I won't let you get away," Sabrina shouted, raising her arms. The doors slammed shut, sealed with Psychic power. Sabrina snapped a long finger towards Daniel, and Fury's Ultra ball cracked._

_Daniel swore under his breath, trying to release the dragon. The damaged Poke ball wouldn't open._

"_Now, finish it!" Sabrina ordered, her eyes focusing on the small Pokemon in Violets arms. Her Alakazam crossed it's spoons, and a red-bronze sphere crackled and hissed between them._

_Daniel stood his ground between them, Echo already forming a Barrier. Then, as soon as the Focus Blast was ready to be fired, Alakazam disappeared. _

_Violet blinked, staring in shock at the place the Alakazam had been in seconds earlier. Daniel and Echo spun around, and from their expressions of horror, she figured out where the Psychic Pokemon was._

_It was right behind her. _

_Everything seemed to move in slow motion. The red light of the Focus Blast made her shadow grow and blacken harshly. Violet made a move to throw herself to the side, Avery clutched to her chest. Then, time seemed to snap, and Violet realized that Echo was standing in between her and the attack, an almost translucent Barrier making the Focus Blast scatter like water. _

_The Gardevoir narrowed her eyes and concentrated, but the Barrier was beginning to crack around the edges. Violet was frozen staring without comprehension at the disintegrating shield. _

"_Move Vie!" Daniel yelled, and Violet snapped to her senses, stumbling away, and to her feet. As soon as she was clear, Echo dropped the Barrier and teleported to Violets side. The destructive red beam hit the far wall, cracking the white stone._

"_Ladies and gentlemen, it would seem a killer has been born in this very room! The newborn 'Avery', as she is called, will grow up to be a monster! Sabrina is attempting to execute the child, saving human lives, but the two young trainers fight to protect her! What will happen next?" _

_Echo ignored the reporter and grabbed Violets arms. She closed her eyes and concentrated, but stopped, looking confused. _

"_You won't be able to teleport out of here," Sabrina said with a small smile. "Alakazam guarantees that." _

_Daniel gritted his teeth. _

"_Now…to finish it!" Sabrina purred, raising her hand in a graceful gesture, like she was conducting music. Two glowing blue walls rose up on either side of Daniel and Violet, trapping them in a long corridor, and hiding them from the camera and referee._

_Alakazam stood in front of them, a second metallic sphere already forming. Behind them was a door, but it was still being held shut by psychic power. Sabrina smirked, her eyes glowing blue as hair floated around her face._

_There was nowhere to run. _

_The Alakazam released the Focus Blast, a small shockwave exploding out with it. The metallic sphere spun crazily towards them, a rust and fire cacophony of power. Echo's eyes flickered and narrowed. Her own Barrier sprung up between them and the deadly attack._

_The Focus Blast collided with the thin sheet of psychic power and Gardevoir winced, struggling to hold up the defense. She was tiring quickly. The attack finally died down, and Echo slumped, gasping for breath. Her Barrier was full of spider web cracks._

"_Again," Sabrina ordered, her dispassionate blue eyes full of venom. Echo straightened, making barrier after barrier in between them in preparation as Alakazam focused its will into another sphere. _

_The Alakazam fired the Focus Blast. It hit the first barrier and snapped it in half like it was nothing. It didn't stop, breaking all of the glass-like walls. Echo concentrated harder on the remaining barriers, strengthening them, and the blast began to slow down after each attack._

_Finally, it hit the final, strongest barrier. It shuddered, power spilling from the sides of the attack, and Echo shuddered with it. The barrier began to break, long cracks marring the surface. The Focus Blast dissipated, but the cracked barrier held. _

_Echo had won. The Barrier held strong, despite the cracks. Violet smiled hesitantly, and disbelievingly. Avery trilled questioningly in her arms._

_And then a second sphere hit the broken wall at full power, shattering it as though it was not even there._

_The powerful move hit the Gardevoir at a glancing blow sending her careening to the side, discordant cries echoing from her form. The Focus Blast continued on towards Daniel and Violet. _

_Violet looked up at her idol and friend. Golden eyes met violet, full of worry._

"_Heh," Daniel chuckled suddenly. He shoved Violet down, and braced himself. Violet's eyes widened with horror as she realized what he was about to do. An apology was already in his eyes, but there were no regrets._

"_I'm sorr-" the attack hit his back in mid word, and blood spilled out between his lips. Violets mouth flew open with horror and she heard screaming. Daniel fell on his hands and knees, more blood coming from his back than she thought possible._

_She heard Echo's shriek over the screams she realized were coming from her. _

_Violet fell to her knees. "Daniel! Y-you're going to be okay, we just need to get you to a hospital…"_

"_It's too late….Vie…" her best friend ground out, shuddering. He covered his mouth and coughed, more red spilling out between his fingers. _

"_No!" Violet denied angrily. "You'll be okay, it will all be okay, you'll see…" _

_Her vision blurred, and tears spilled from her agonized violet eyes. She heard Echo's despairing cries as she attacked the Alakazam with all her remaining power. Daniel collapsed onto his side. He reached a hand out and touched her black hair. _

"_You have such pretty hair…I like it long," he managed, his voice rough. He met her eyes fervently. "Listen to me, Vie, you have to…listen. Take Avery, put her in a Poke ball, and hide her, do you hear me? Until…until suspicion dies, you have to hide her away. She doesn't deserve to die."_

"_Stop talking! You need to save your strength," Violet begged, horrified tears spilling from her eyes. He couldn't die. He couldn't! _

_He looked up at her with an unbearably soft expression. Flecks of red marred his pale skin. "I'm so sorry…" he sighed, and his golden eyes slipped shut for the last time._

_Time slowed for Violet. "Hey," she said, shaking his shoulder. He didn't respond. "Wake up! You….you can't die Danny! You can't!"_

_Horrified tears ran down her face and she let go of his shoulder. Her hands came away red. _

_Echo let out another shriek, her battle with the Alakazam continuing in the background. It cried out, and fell to one knee. _

_Violet stood shakily to her feet, unable to comprehend what was happening anymore. She stumbled back a step, and then another. Finally, she turned and ran, going for the door, Avery still in her arms. The baby Pokemon seemed to be in shock._

_The Alakazam took another hit, and Sabrina winced with it. The psychic power barring the door shuddered and broke. Violet ripped it open without thinking and fled, blinded by tears._

_~o~_

"-after the barrier had been released, the girl and the Ralts had disappeared. Two bodies were found at the scene, a young trainer and his Gardevoir. The trainer, a local named Daniel Knight, was said to have been hit accidentally by a Focus Blast. His Pokemon died for reasons unknown. His accomplice, described as being a young, dark haired girl, wearing a baseball cap, is still at large, along with the dangerous Pokemon. If you have any information that could lead to their capture, please call this number…"

_Violet stared numbly at the news report from her room in an empty house. She turned away sharply, fighting back nausea as Daniel's body was shown again and again._

_Avery would have to be hidden. Violet knew the place Daniel had been talking about, the place known only to the two of them. She didn't know how long she would have to stay there._

_And herself? Could she go on, living like everything was alright? Could she stay in this place, where everything reminded her of him? Could she stay in this lonely house, knowing she had killed her best friend?_

_No. She could never._

_Violet made up her mind then and there to relocate to their families summer home in Pewter. Her father would cover up any connection she had with the incident, to preserve the family name. Violet would be safe. It wouldn't be so hard there, to forget. To forget her life, her name, and about being a trainer. _

_To forget about him, her very best friend._

_Violet winced and hugged Avery as the two watched the news report, tears streaming down both of their faces._

_~o~ _

It was late in the morning when Indigo and Violet had decided to set out. It had been a long night.

He understood the situation she had been put in, and forgave her for the choices she made. After all, had she really done anything wrong?

Tara was not so kind. She still blamed the older girl for her brothers death, even after hearing the truth.

They were almost ready to leave, Violets bag was packed, and they had received new supplies from Kylie, when Daniels mother stopped them.

"Here," she had said simply. "Take it. He would have wanted you to have it." And with that, she handed her son's white Pokedex to Violet. Violet had accepted the gift, touching it's familiar surface. She flipped it open and registered her two Master balls, and the screen flickered, bringing up a list of her Pokemon's moves and characteristics.

After that, Violet had said her tearful goodbyes to Kylie, promising to visit again one day, and they set out towards Sabrina's gym.

"Are you sure?" Indigo asked, for the hundredth time. Seeing Sabrina again would be tough on Violet. And the gym leader was powerful. It would be a challenge to take her down with only one Pokemon. He didn't think Violet would use Mr. Fin. Or, at least, he hoped she wouldn't.

"It will be fine," Violet assured him. "I got over blaming Sabrina a long time ago. She was just trying to do what she thought was right after all. She never meant to hurt Daniel, right?"

"You're too forgiving," Indigo growled at her. He wondered if she was just covering up her true feelings. "Why are you so set on fighting her now? Do you think we could beat her?"

"You're strong. Mr. Fin is strong. Of course we can win!" Violet said with a grin. Indigo groaned. So she _was_ planning to use her Magikarp.

"And also…well, I'd never be able to live it down if I came back here and didn't at least try, you know?" Wind scattered her black hair and she laughed, buoyant now that the truth was off her shoulders.

Indigo understood.

They arrived at the large white building a short time later. It had opened a few hours earlier, but the gym was as eerily silent as ever. A Murkrow cawed from the roof at them jeeringly.

"Charming," Indigo muttered, glaring at the bird. Violet took a deep breath and pulled open the doors. The gym was dark. The two entered, and the door shut behind them and disappeared. Indigo whipped his head around in surprise. What was going on here?

"Don't worry, it's the gym traps. The beginning gyms don't really have them, but as you get further in they start to appear. I've already been through this once before," Violet explained. Copper walls materialized around them, creating a maze as she spoke.

"I'll get us through," Indigo said, activating his Aura vision. Violet grabbed his shoulder.

"No wait. This is a Psychic illusion, so it'll affect your aura vision too. Here, let me show you the trick."

Violet closed her eyes and walked through a seemingly solid wall. Indigo stared after her in shock.

"People believe what they see, right? If I don't see it I don't have to believe it's there," Violets voice said, echoing from ahead of him. Indigo touched the wall, studying it. It seemed to be solid. He gritted his teeth.

He would just have to trust her.

Indigo closed his eyes and ran forward. Just when he thought he would collide with the wall, Violet grabbed his arm again.

"See? You made it!" she said with a grin. Indigo looked behind, and saw the wall he had just run straight through. He shuddered, deciding he hated Psychics.

From there on the traps were easy to overcome. Violet held his hand so they wouldn't get separated, and held her other hand in front of face. They walked blind for a few minutes until her hand touched a real wall, bypassing the shifting maze. His raven haired trainer opened her eyes and grinned at him. Another set of doors was just to the right of them.

"Here we go!" Violet said, her eyes determined. And if there was a flicker of emotion across her face, it was gone before Indigo could identify it.

She opened the doors slowly, wincing as the light hit her eyes. A large bronze chair sat at the end of the room, a battle field set in front of it. It almost looked like a throne. Sabrina sat, a small smile on her face. She looked as though she had been expecting them.

"Welcome warrior," she said, her eyes bypassing Violet and focusing on the Lucario. A small smile graced her lips. Violet looked at Indigo questioningly, and he shrugged.

He didn't want her to worry about Sabrina's prophecy. He would take care of it.

"I-I've come to challenge you!" Violet called out, just a little shakily. Sabrina sighed.

"Very well then, miss Violet. Your presence is…_familiar_," the psychic master said with a frown. Violet gulped, but Sabrina didn't say anything further. A referee stepped into the room.

Violet breathed again. Last time she had been here, she had been wearing that hat. It would have obscured her features. And Violet had hardly been the focus of Sabrina's attention that day.

"The battle between Sabrina and the rookie trainer will now begin!" the referee called, her purple hair pulled back in a ponytail. "It will be a two on two battle, with no substitutions!"

"Fine by me!" Violet accepted, fire in her eyes. "Go, Indigo!" her Lucario grinned and stepped onto the field.

"A fighting type? You are a fool," Sabrina said, amused. "My Pokemon won't even break a sweat against a weak willed creature who hides behind its muscles!"

"At least Indigo _has_ muscles!" Violet retorted, grinning. Indigo approved silently. The less she acted like the shy girl she had been before, the less likely Sabrina was to recognize her.

"Don't get overconfident," Sabrina said with narrowed eyes. Her Espeon flashed onto the field, staring at them with wide, dark eyes.

"Ok, Dark Pulse!" Violet called out. Indigo charged the super effective move, releasing dark energy at the Espeon.

It moved with a feline grace, dodging effortlessly. Suddenly, Indigo found himself being lifted into the air, and pain lanced through his body. Sabrina smiled, her eyes locked on him.

"Good job Espeon. Now finish it," she ordered softly. Her Espeons shocking red eyes glowed even brighter. Pain exploded white hot in Indigo's shoulder as he hit the wall. The Psychic kept hold of him, bringing him around to hit the wall again.

Yes, he definitely didn't like psychic Pokemon.

He realized his hands were still radiating black. He fired blindly in the general direction of the lilac Pokemon, and heard a cry. He was dropped to the ground and landed hard, hissing. He looked up. It seemed as though he had singed the Pokemon's split tail.

"Indigo, stand up!" Violet called out frantically. Indigo obeyed, wincing at the pain.

The Espeon was darting towards him, moving with a liquid grace. He met its eyes and saw an almost emotionless determination.

The Espeon leapt towards him, fangs bared. He hit it out of the air with a well timed Force Palm, but it shook the blow off like it was nothing and snarled at him.

"Indigo, Detect! And then use Dark Pulse!" Violet ordered, her thoughts aligning with his perfectly. He had the field up in an instant, protecting him from the Espeon's Bite attack. It slashed at the field with elongated claws, but it held firm. Indigo dropped the field when the Pokemon leapt at the side, fangs bared, and it sailed past, surprised.

He caught it midair with a Dark Pulse, knocking it back. Before it hit the ground he slammed into it with a Quick Attack, finishing the match.

"Good job Indigo!" Violet praised him, and he could hear the smile in her voice. He ignored his labored breathing, watching as Sabrina recalled the lilac feline.

He couldn't take another hit like that Psychic. His eyes were wide with wary shock. How strong was this leader?

"Kadabra," Sabrina said, her voice caressing the word as she released her Pokemon. She didn't seem fazed by her loss. In fact, she seemed almost to _enjoy_ it. Her eyes were lit up now, the only crack in her cold mask. "Finish this, _now_!"

Indigo was surprised to see an unevolved Pokemon in the gym leaders arsenal. The Kadabra was a smaller, sharper version of an Alakazam, lean and powerful.

"Indigo, you can do it!" Violet cheered. He chuckled at her enthusiasm.

If Violet hadn't said those words, the same she spoke on that fateful day, perhaps things would have been different.

Sabrina's eyes widened in shock, her pupils dilating. "I…see something. No….I _remember_." Sabrina's ice blue eyes focused in on Violet. "You said that once before, in this very room. You are that girl!"

"What are you talking about?" Violets replied, her voice carefully nonchalant. Indigo tensed in front of her.

"You, who brought that murderous Pokemon into the room. You who defended that same Pokemon!" Sabrina hissed, her lips twisted in a sneer. "You released it to the world, knowing the pain it would cause!"

"What?" Violet said slowly, sounding confused. Indigo breathed out. She had this. "I don't…are you sure you don't have the wrong person?"

"Oh?" Sabrina mused. "You deny it? Everything?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Violet said firmly. "Hey, are we going to battle, or what?"

"_Murderer_," Sabrina whispered, tasting the word as though it were sweet. "You are a murderer!"

"I-I don't," Violet stammered, caught off guard by the attack, but Sabrina wasn't finished. She smiled cruelly, her voice sensual and sadistic.

"You, who killed your friend," she murmured venomously. "Or are you denying _that_? That you caused his death by protecting the child?"

"I wouldn't!" Violet defended herself, her face ashen white as she took a step back. "I never meant for-"

"So you admit that you are that girl!" Sabrina snapped, her eyes lighting up victoriously. "Do you know what happened that day? I had to experience the pain of every person that child will torture. Every blistering moment, magnified a thousand times over! And when I attempted to prevent the prophecy from ever coming to pass, you stole her away!"

"Avery won't be a monster!" Violet shouted, anger coloring her voice. "I'll teach her, and everything will be alright! You can't pass judgment on a _baby_!"

"Ignorant fool!" Sabrina shouted, her voice echoing. "I will _teach _you pain! Maybe then you can understand what I went through!"

The Gym Leader raised her hand, pointing one long finger at Violet. The dark haired girl screamed, clutching her head. "Let her go!" Indigo shouted, unable to find the source of the attack. No Pokemon was doing this. It was Sabrina herself!

"S-Sabrina!" the referee stammered. "This is a Pokemon battle…assaulting the trainer is against the rules!"

The girl gasped as Alakazam grabbed her arms, and the two disappeared. Violet barely looked up, her eyes filled with pain.

"Stop!" Indigo growled, but Sabrina ignored him. Violet held out a hand to him as though warning him to stop. She straightened slowly, the effort required making her shake.

The raven haired gym leader narrowed her eyes. She curled her hand, and made a tight fist, a small shockwave of power bursting from her wrist.

Violet winced, but she held firm, meeting Sabrina's shocked eyes squarely. "You know nothing of pain," she whispered, her voice harsh with remembered sorrow. "_Nothing!_

"So your own pain….means nothing to you," Sabrina murmured with realization. She did not sound pleased. Her hand fell to her side, and Violet gasped as she was released. "That is admirable. Even so, I cannot let you leave. The child is still out there…she can still hurt others. If you won't tell me where you hid her, I will make you."

"No," Violet said simply, her voice hard and unrelenting.

"Then you leave me no choice. Let us see how you deal with your Pokemon's pain!" Sabrina looked at her Kadabra. The bronze Pokemon straightened as it's mind was linked to it's masters, creating a perfect bond. Its eyes were swallowed up with ethereal color.

Indigo skipped to the side, dodging the Psychic he had barely seen coming. The world still spun in muted blues and grey, the psychic power bright against his senses. This situation was getting bad.

"Indigo, Dark Pulse!" Violet ordered, her voice strangely hard. It was unlike her.

"On it," Indigo replied, already gathering the black and purple energy. He released the dark attack that spread like fire. It shot towards the Kadabra faster than it could react.

Kadabra took the blow, but didn't seem fazed. He fired a second attack in quick succession, but again, it didn't seem to take much damage.

"Indigo, it's a Light Screen!" Violet shouted. Indigo started, noticing the thin barrier of light in-between them. When had it…?

"Future Sight," Sabrina said softly, as though for Violets benefit. Kadabra closed it's eyes, and Indigo felt the tension in his mind increase.

It seemed as though the Kadabra was emitting some kind of crippling wave from it's mind every time it used Psychic power. It distracted him, making his head buzz.

The Kadabra was doing nothing. It stood in one place, swaying from side to side with closed eyes. Indigo stared at it, waiting, but it did not react. He shrugged and used Quick Attack, his paws coated with a Dark Pulse.

An instant before the attack hit, the Kadabra stepped to the side, barely dodging the black energy coating his fist. Indigo's eyes went wide as the Kadabra struck out with its _other_ hand, lined with a Psychic.

It was all he could do to dodge the blow, his desperate move unbalancing him. The Kadabra swept his feet out from underneath him before he could blink, striking down with both hands lined with Psychic. Indigo rolled, avoiding the blow.

How was a Psychic type fighting like a martial artist? It didn't make sense!

"Future Sight allows it to see the future!" Violet shouted from the sidelines. "Indigo, we need to end it before the attack itself hits! Use Dark Pulse, and don't let it dodge!"

"Easier said than done," Indigo muttered. The Kadabra moved just a split second before he did every time he used the attack, and his Aura vision told him when the Psychic was about to move. They practically danced in the constant stream of attacking and dodging, always just a fraction of a second apart.

But the Kadabra was tiring, not used to the strenuous movement. Indigo slashed with dark coated paws, not bothering to release the pulse.

"You can't win. I can see what will happen," Sabrina deadpanned, her voice strangely double timbered. Indigo missed a beat, reminded of Sabrina's prediction about Violet. _She would die_.

As he finished the thought, he felt the Dark Pulse throb, and grow stronger. His eyes widened. He closed his eyes, repeating the thought, letting the anger and desperation flow over him.

The black energy crackled and hissed, expanding again.

"Violet, what is Dark Pulse?" Indigo called out suddenly, a small idea growing in his mind.

"What? Why do you…never mind, I'll check," she said, sighing. He heard the snick of her new Pokedex opening. "It says, 'an attack imbued with a horrible aura and dark thoughts.' Geez, sounds pleasant…"

Indigo grinned. So it fed on dark thoughts and emotions then? That was easy. He had plenty of those to _spare_.

He pulled memories from his past to the front of his mind, being careful not to miss a beat in his attacks, and remembered all the doubts he'd had since coming to the future. What if he didn't become strong enough? What if the Princess hadn't survived the night, and he was returning for nothing? And what if….he was unable to stop Dr. Camellia, even after he returned?"

The Dark Pulse shrieked and grew in size, until he could no longer see his spiked paws underneath. At that moment, the Kadabra missed a step, and stopped directly in front of him. The perfect opportunity.

_I will become stronger. And I will protect Violet _and_ Riza, no matter what. _

He was about to release the powerful attack when Future Sight took effect, hitting him with a strong psychic blast from below.

"Indigo!" he heard Violet call, but he was unable to answer as pain screamed across his entire body.

"Psycho Cut, Kadabra," Sabrina said, breaking her long silence. "Finish it!"

"No! Don't hurt him!" Violet begged, and Indigo saw the Kadabra slash at him with a pink coated arm. The color broke off, forming a spinning blade that sliced across his stomach. Bright lights exploded across his sight, breaking his Aura vision.

Indigo gritted his teeth, but held his ground. He could no longer see the Kadabra through the smoke caused by the attack, but he couldn't hold the powerful Dark Pulse any longer. It cracked with black lightning, and he let it go.

Dark Pulse exploded outwards, like a shockwave of purple veined midnight, the attack surprising him with its intensity. Indigo fell to one knee, gasping for breath, and he heard the Kadabra cry out.

The smoke cleared and he saw the golden Pokemon collapsed on the ground, smoke waving around its still form.

"Indigo…" Violet said, trailing off. She grinned. "You did it! How did you do that? It was so cool!"

"Glad…you think so," he gasped, struggling to stand. Spots flew across his vision, and when he looked at his paw, he saw two of them, blurring in and out of focus.

"Are you okay? We have to get you to Pokemon center…" his trainer said in concern. Indigo sighed. He didn't want Violet to worry; he would be fine. He walked towards her, trying to appear as though he was unharmed.

He did not see the Kadabra stand behind him.

"Indigo!" Violet cried out, looking behind him, and he felt a spinning blade hit his back with incredible force.

And then he saw no more.

~o~

"You have lost," Sabrina said simply. "Your Lucario has fallen, just as I predicted. There is no more hope for you. Now, tell me where the child is hidden."

Violet stared uncomprehendingly at Indigo's still form. They had _lost?_

"What will you do with Avery?"

Sabrina looked at her with a contemptuous gaze. "You know the answer to that. She will either die or be locked away for eternity. This is the only way to prevent my prophecy from being fulfilled."

"She's just a baby! She hasn't done anything wrong! How can you punish someone for a crime they haven't committed?" Violet shouted, angry tears streaming from her eyes. How many would have to be hurt or killed, until Sabrina was satisfied? You couldn't punish a baby for existing… it was just wrong!

"So you still defend her?" Sabrina said, raising a thin eyebrow. "Very well then. You have a second Pokemon. Release it immediately. The battle is not yet finished. If seeing one partners pain was not enough, then I will show you the pain of the other."

Violet took a step back, her eyes going wide. "N-no! I won't let you hurt Mr. Fin…"

"Then I will rip the answer from your mind!" Sabrina shouted, raising her voice as she finally lost patience. She raised both hands violently, like a conductor, her hair floating in a wave.

When she opened her eyes, they were glowing blue. Violet screamed as pain overtook her mind. She could _feel_ Sabrina's presence, probing her thoughts.

"No!" Violet shouted, shaking her head back and forth desperately. _Avery. _She had to protect Avery! "I _won't!_"

"Then you will die protecting her!" Sabrina shouted, her eyes hard with anger. The pain in Violet's mind increased, burning from a live ember to the heat of the sun itself, until she knew nothing else.

Amethyst light flooded from her belt. "Magikarp-karp," Mr. Fin said, glaring at Sabrina and her battered Kadabra. The pain drained from Violet, along with Sabrina's presence. She fell to her knees, gasping, her eyes wide and uncomprehending. Cold sweat coated her skin.

"What are you…doing?" Violet panted between gasps, seeing her starter for the first time. "Get back in your Poke ball!"

Magikarp ignored her. "That's an order Mr. Fin!" Violet yelled, her voice desperate. Her Magikarp turned to her, and there was a new light in his eyes.

"So your Pokemon chooses to defend its master. It's determination amazes me," Sabrina laughed. "But do you honestly think you can win? Don't make me laugh!"

Her Kadabra raised it's spoon, and Mr. Fin was hit with a Psychic. He flew across the room, hitting the wall.

"Mr. Fin!" Violet cried out. She tried to return her Pokemon, but he dodged the beam. He started flopping across the floor towards the Kadabra.

"Psycho Cut, Kadabra." The golden psychic slashed its arm, a pink blade breaking away from it's surface. It hit Mr. Fin, knocking him back again.

Mr. Fin shuddered, and started flopping towards the Kadabra a second time, determination in its eyes.

Tears streamed down Violets face. "Mr. Fin…" she whispered, her gaze locked on her friend.

The Magikarp moved doggedly forward, and dodged a Psycho Cut. It got closer to the Kadabra. Violet's steeled her expression and looked up fiercely. "You can do it, Mr. Fin!" she shouted suddenly, cheering on her weakest Pokemon.

Mr. Fin let out a cry and sprang forward in a Tackle attack, using a new burst of strength. It hit the Kadabra squarely in the stomach, knocking the air out of it's lungs. And the Kadabra, dangerously weakened from it's last battle, groaned and fell over, hitting the ground with a thud.

Sabrina gaped. Violet broke into a wide, disbelieving grin. Mr. Fin flopped around in excited circles. And then Mr. Fin started to glow.

Mr. Fin's body exploded outward, snaking across the ground like a whip, growing impossibly long. His jaw strengthened and grew, fangs splitting from the bones. A guttural roar filled the stadium, and the white glow of evolution shattered off the newly formed Gyarados, revealing midnight blue scales that gleamed in the light.

"Mr. Fin…" Violet breathed in awe, taking in her new Gyarados's powerful beauty. She noticed that Indigo's eyes were open, and staring incredulously at the former Magikarp. "Indigo! Are you alright?"

Indigo shook his head, disregarding her words. His eyes were still locked on the Gyarados. "Mr. Fin….he says he will always protect you, no matter what," he translated, his voice shocked.

"Impossible," Sabrina breathed, something in her eyes akin to fear. She backed up a few steps, gesturing with her hand.

Her Alakazam popped into existence, glaring at the massive Gyarados with sinister eyes. It started to create a metallic red sphere between it's palms, but the dark hued dragon lashed forward, snapping the Alakazam up in powerful jaws. Gyarados shook the Pokemon back and forth, and threw it towards the wall.

Alakazam teleported the second before impact, landing in front of the Water type once again, outlined in gold. Mr. Fin took the Psychic and roared in pain.

"Order him, Violet," Indigo said, struggling to a standing position. He was still in no condition to fight. Violet nodded, flipping open Daniels Pokedex.

"_Name, Mr. Fin. Species, Gyarados. Current moves, Dragon Rage, Thrash, Bite, Leer." _The white Pokedex droned in a mechanical voice, "_Current level, 27_"

"Mr. Fin, Dragon Rage!" Violet ordered the powerful serpent, and an inferno of blue and yellow ripped from his jaws, bathing the Alakazam in flames.

"Don't think this is over just because your Magikarp evolved," Sabrina hissed, her ice blue eyes narrowing. "He is nowhere near my Alakazams level!"

The flames died away, revealing an unharmed Alakazam, spoons crossed in front of its face. It straightened slowly and Teleported behind the Gyarados, hitting it with a Focus Blast.

"Mr. Fin!" Violet called out. She gritted her teeth. Sabrina was telling the truth. Mr. Fin was still at a disadvantage.

"Now, Bite!" she yelled, putting her doubts to the back of her mind. She would never give up. Mr. Fin had evolved for her. She couldn't let his sacrifice go to waste by doubting him!

Her massive Gyarados struck, crushing the Alakazam between its jaws. The Psychic type writhed, but was unable to escape.

Violet breathed, her nerve endings on fire with adrenaline. They would win this battle, no matter what!

"Hold it right there!" a female voice ordered, and the battle stopped. Officer Jenny stepped into the room, flanked by two Growlithe. "Nobody move!"

She saw Mr. Fin with the Alakazam in its fangs. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Release that Pokemon at once!"

The Gyarados looked at Violet, and she nodded. He bit down harder once and flung the Alakazam into the air. It hit the ground with a thud, and shuddered. Officer Jenny glared at him.

"Violet Hikanashi!" The Officer said, pointing to Violet. "We have information that you know the location of the proclaimed dangerous Pokemon, Avery. You will hand her over to us immediately!"

~o~

Indigo paced outside the door of the police station. Violet was inside, with several Officer Jenny's. She was absolutely determined to protect her friends Pokemon, and the Jenny's were arguing with her. Soon, they would threaten her. They would charge her with protecting a criminal, or something similar, and they could imprison her if it came to that.

He didn't know what the right choice was anymore.

Sabrina had been in questioning as well. Her referee, one of her gym trainers, had gone to the police when she found she could not enter the building anymore. But the Psychic master had gotten off with no charges. Either they had decided attacking Violet was justified, or Sabrina had bent their will with her Psychic abilities. Fear was a powerful weapon.

Violet had used her one phone call to contact her father. She had listened for a few minutes after telling her story, and hung up the phone with a sigh, an angry voice still speaking on the other end.

Violet came out of the room, two officers flanking her. Indigo turned, drawing back slightly at the dullness he saw in her eyes.

"I've decided to give them Avery," Violet said softly, not meeting his eyes. "I'll show you where she is."

~o~

Violet took him to the training dojo, the two officers flanking her. It was empty, the interrogation having lasted until well into the night. She went inside, going to a dusty corner of the room, and pulled up one of the floorboards, using a small lever hidden nearby.

Inside was a treasure trove of items. Pictures of Daniel and Violet when they were children were stored inside, along with plenty of rare, Johto Poke balls, mixed in with marbles and letters, and souvenirs. There were even a few Poke dolls.

"Now which one is the dangerous Pokemon? Bring it out immediately!" Jenny said sternly. Violet reached in gingerly, and selected a black and blue Moon ball, near the sides. She held it for a long moment.

"How do we know that's really the Pokemon?" the other Jenny said suspiciously. "We will not tolerate any tricks."

"Come on out, Avery," Violet said tonelessly in response, pushing the center of the sphere. A Ralts flashed into existence, appearing shocked. It saw Violet and cocked its head.

"P-put that thing back! We didn't tell you to bring it out!" Officer Jenny said, backing away. Violet smiled reassuringly at the Ralts questioning look and returned her to the Moon ball.

"You wanted proof. There you have it," Violet said simply. She leaned down, and picked up a Poke doll from the stash, looking at it with a smile.

"Alright, enough dawdling! We have to bring that Pokemon into custody immediately!" Jenny said, and Violet handed her the Moon ball, looking down. Officer Jenny softened her tone. "You did the right thing Ms. Hikanashi. This Pokemon won't be able to hurt anyone now."

The two Jenny's walked ahead of them, and Indigo put a hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe…it was for the best," Indigo said, trying to cheer her up. "Sabrina is said to never be wrong."

She turned with a too bright smile. "Y-you're right. And they promised not to execute her…but she will have to be imprisoned."

Indigo was silent, knowing there wasn't anything he could say to that. "Lets go," he said finally, taking her hand, and she nodded.

They would give their final goodbyes to Avery. And then, they could leave this cursed town.

~o~

Violet bit her lip, ignoring the look Indigo gave her. She kept her face emotionless, watching as the two Jenny's began to weld the Moon ball shut.

Kylie had stopped by, in tears when she found out what had happened. There wasn't any proof, but she suspected the anonymous tip had been from Tara. She had been the only one to know exactly when Violet was going to challenge Sabrina, and she definitely held a grudge.

The match with Sabrina had been interrupted. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise. If Mr. Fin had fainted, they all could have died at the hands of the sadistic Gym Leader. If Mr. Fin _hadn't_ evolved, they probably would have died before the officers arrived.

Violet smiled inwardly, sidetracked. Mr. Fin was so beautiful, and so strong. He had evolved just for her, and still obeyed her orders even after evolution. She couldn't imagine a better starter Pokemon, or a better friend.

Together, they could do anything, she was sure of that. And with Indigo, they were invincible.

Indigo had gone to the Pokemon Center first thing, and the kind Nurse Joy had fixed him up. He had been badly injured, because she wasn't a good enough trainer. She needed to become better, so she never had to see her friends get hurt again. Not Indigo, and not Mr. Fin. As for Avery…

Violet fought back a smile. Avery was her friend too after all. She watched as the Moon ball was welded completely shut. The Officer Jenny lifted up her welding mask, wiping her face. The other waited for the ball to cool, and placed it into a steel box, locking it.

It was easy, really. After she released Avery, the two officers were convinced. They hadn't opened the empty Moon ball Violet had actually given them a second time. Sleight of hand was something Daniel had taught her, years ago.

She had never expected to use that little trick for something so important. But then, fate worked in mysterious ways.

"Where are we going next?" Indigo asked, presumably trying to distract her.

"Oh…I think we'll go to Celadon City next," Violet said with a grin. She reached into her pocket, rubbing her finger over the crescent moon design on the minimized sphere. She would always take care of her friends after all, no matter what.

~o~

**A/N** Geez, this chapter is a monster. I took some liberties with Sabrina. Her appearance has been everything from green hair to purple, and her eyes have been red, blue, and black. Also, her personality changes completely in the different manga, anime, and book adaptations. The only thing everyone agrees on is her Psychic powers.

Please review, it makes long chapters worth it. Thanks for reading this far, and I'm sorry for the long chapter, it must've taken forever to read. Imagine how long it took to write. Ow, my head. DX


	11. When Fangirls Strike

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokemon. And you thought the last chapter was long. Good luck! **

~o~

"It's been a while," a voice said from behind. The girl was silent, her golden locks blowing in the wind. Her amethyst eyes were tired; she stared at the ground, even though the entire kingdom could be seen from the top of the rise.

"I don't know what to do anymore," she admitted at last, lifting her face to the fire of the setting sun. The boy behind her grabbed her arm fiercely, turning her around to meet his gaze. Indigo hair danced in the breeze, a beautiful contrast to the gold flowing around them both.

"You don't have to do anything," he said fervently. "Just live. That's all."

"You make it sound so simple," Riza murmured, dropping her eyes. She clutched her arm where the strange black markings tainted her pale skin, revulsion making her mouth twist at one corner. Just live? How could she, now that she was a monster, too?

"It is simple!" the boy growled. "All you have to do is be you. I couldn't care less what you think you are. On the inside, you're still Riza. That's all that matters to me."

The golden princess laughed suddenly, breaking the mood. "You sound like something from a cheesy romance novel, you know that?" Indigo scowled at her, and the Princess smiled.

"Don't worry…I'll be fine. As long as we're together, we can get through anything. Will you promise me something, Indigo?"

The boy rolled his eyes, as if wondering why she had to ask. "Anything," he vowed, grasping on of her hands in his own. The Princess smiled, and looked out at the red bathed plains, the light reflecting on her serene face. She grasped his hand a little tighter.

"Promise me you'll never leave. No matter what happens, stay with me."

Indigo chuckled, and Riza started, glaring at him for not taking her seriously. She opened her mouth to speak, but he held a finger up to her lips, stopping her. She could feel her cheeks warming up at the unexpected contact.

"Don't worry Princess, I'm not going anywhere. No matter what happens, I'll always be by your side. You can trust me….Riza."

'_You can trust me…_'

~o~

"Fight, Indigo!" Violet shouted, and the Lucario meditating at her feet opened one eyes. He grinned and bounded onto the makeshift practice field, settling into a fighting stance.

"I-I quit!" her opponent shouted, covering his eyes. His Pichu mimicked its trainer, cowering in fear.

"CUT!" Violet yelled, glaring at the boy. "You can't quit! That's against the rules." The boy cringed and Violet softened her tone. "Look it's easy. Just give your Pokemon an order." The boy looked up, and put out a shaky hand.

"Ramen, use Quick Attack," he said tremulously, and the Pichu darted at Indigo, leaving a white trail behind it.

"Now Indigo, counter with your own Quick Attack! And then use Dark Pulse!" Violet shouted, fire in her eyes.

"I quit!" the boy yelled again, curling up into a ball on the ground. The Pichu pulled its large ears over its eyes. Violet groaned and hit her head with her palm. This was ridiculous.

"Piper, you can't quit. Try again, and don't let yourself be intimidated. Believe in your Pokemon, and you'll be fine," she tried to explain. Indigo looked at the ground dubiously, where Pichu was now curled into a ball. Violet followed his gaze and sighed. The baby Pokemon looked about as dependable as its master.

"You wanted me to help you become stronger, right? You have to battle, or you won't improve," Violet said, meeting the sandy haired boys eyes. "Now, just try one more time?" she coaxed. The boy looked timidly confident for a moment. He looked at Indigo and blanched, the confidence draining away.

"Lucario's are too scary!" he whined, looking wide eyed at the warrior. The Pichu named Ramen nodded furiously at his side, ears bobbing. Indigo snorted.

"Let's….take a break for a while," Violet said with a sigh. This was harder than she had thought it would be.

They had entered Celadon city a few days ago, ahead of schedule. It was easily the largest city in the Kanto region, and arguably the most beautiful. While Saffron had been full of technology and pollution, Celadon was composed of rainbows and beautiful boardwalks. The air was constantly clear and refreshing, due to the large population of Grass Pokemon in the area.

The first thing they had done when entering the city was go the famous Celadon gym. Or at least, they had tried. The path to the gym was blocked by a deliberately placed tree, as though getting past it was just another test. Violet and Indigo had spent the better part of the day trying to either get past the tree, or, failing in that, break it down. It was only after they were both dead tired and gasping for breath that a passerby told them a special move was needed to cut down the tree, and that nothing else would work.

"These tree's are a special kind you see," the old man had said, chuckling. "They're known for their strength and flexibility. Only the move Cut can take on of these saplings. Either that or a bulldozer. I think they plant em here on purpose, to weed out the weaker trainers before they get to Erika."

Violet had raged at the problem, even going as far as to kick the tree, but she only succeeded in stubbing her toe. Eventually, Indigo suggested they try again later, and the two returned to the Pokemon Center, Violet muttering all the way. They had yet to find a way to get past the tree.

"Violet," Indigo said, breaking her free of her thoughts. He looked pointedly at the dejected young trainer. Piper was doodling circles into the dirt, and had seemingly given up. Violet clapped her hands, inspiration hitting her.

"Hey, I've got an idea! How about you try facing Mr. Fin first? He's not as strong as Indigo, and he's not scary at all!" she bubbled, eyes shining. Piper looked up hopefully.

"You mean it? I could face a weaker Pokemon first?"

His Pichu brightened at the idea right alongside him, sparking slightly.

"You bet! See for yourself! Go, Mr. Fin!" Violet called, throwing her Master ball in a wide arc through the air.

"Wait, Violet maybe you shouldn't-" Indigo started to warn her, but he was cut off by the flash of the Master ball as it released a monster straight from every child's nightmares. The massive blue-black Gyarados roared, arching his serpentine body impossibly high into the air.

"Eep," Piper managed to squeak out, eyes like saucers. The blood drained from his face, leaving him as pale as a ghost. He fell backwards, at the same time as his Pichu. The pair hit the ground, completely unconscious.

"Ah, Piper!" Violet called out, running to the boys side. She shook his shoulder and a little drool came out of his mouth. His eyes were frozen wide like his soul had left his body.

"Mr. Fin, you killed him!" Violet wailed. The serpent crooned in a way totally unsuitable for its size, and bumped its head against the dark haired girl anxiously.

"Perhaps we should take a break?" Indigo suggested, fighting back a grin. Violet sighed in defeat and returned her Gyarados. This was a lot harder than she had thought it would be.

"Why are we doing this again?" Violet said with a sigh, twisting a lock of hair dejectedly.

"He wanted training. The other trainers were too scary to ask, remember?" Indigo reminded her dryly.

"Oh, yeah." Violet fell backwards onto the grass, the air escaping her lungs with a 'whoosh'. The cool grass tickled her bare arms, but she ignored it in favor of staring into the sky. There had to be _something_ she could do to help.

"This would be a lot easier if you had a baby Pokemon too," Indigo mused, nudging the tiny Pichu with his toe. It was still out cold from the shock.

Violet looked up at him guiltily, remembering the possibly psychotic baby Pokemon she had in her bag. That she had yet to tell Indigo about. "Er…about that…well, you see-"

"Roooooyyyy!" a chorus of high pitched voices sang out. Indigo turned his head sharply, and Violet stumbled to her feet. A dust cloud was coming from the street, a lone figure sprinting at the head. The raven haired girl squinted, making out a trainer, and what seemed to be a group of screaming girls.

"What in the…" Violet began, confusion written across her face. She saw the fleeing trainer's face as he got closer and her eyes widened. "Hey, that's-"

The trainer crashed against her, knocking her next words out of her mouth. His forehead hit hers, and she stumbled back. "_Ow_," she complained, rubbing the red area. She looked up, just noticing the slack jawed expressions of the girls.

"What?" she asked, confused. Some of the girls seemed to have gone into shock.

"Kissed her…."

"-belongs to everyone…"

"How could she!"

"Eh?" Violet said, piecing together their words in her head. "Oh, that's not right. The truth is-"

"The truth is, this girl is my girlfriend," Roy announced, slinging his arm over Violets shoulder. "Ain't that right, Bimbi?"

"Bimbi? Girlfriend?! But wait, I-"

"Can't wait for our date tonight?" Roy guessed. He let go of her shoulder so he could pick up one hand. He leaned over and kissed it, looking into her eyes romantically.

Violet could _feel_ a murderous black aura growing over the girls heads. She gulped. This couldn't be good. "Wait, but-" Violet tried again, but Roy put a finger to her lips.

"Now now Bimbi, you know how busy I am. See you tonight!" the trainer said, winking. He backed up a few paces and glanced at the fan girls, before he ran flat out for cover.

"Indigo? What just happened?" Violet asked faintly, staring after Roy.

"I don't know, but…" her Lucario looked meaningfully at the furious group of girls glaring daggers at Violet. The dark haired girl gulped, turning to face them.

"I-I can explain," she stuttered, backing up a few steps with her hands raised.

"Get her!" the leader of the fan girls called out, issuing the battle cry. Several of the girls began unclipping Poke balls from their belts, while the others brandished hairbrushes and sticks.

"Indigo? I think we're gonna have to make a run for it," Violet whispered to her partner.

"I wholeheartedly agree," The Lucario replied, staring warily at the makeshift weapons. The fan girls let out a war cry and charged forward.

"RUN!"

~o~

"Indigo! Use Force Palm!" Violet called out frantically, two grinning fan girls holding down her arms.

"You really want me to hit teenage girls with a powerful attack?" Indigo demanded, dodging around a Victreebells vines.

"Yes!" she retorted instantly. "No! I don't know!" the dark haired girl wailed, trying to break free. The two clung fast, preventing her from moving.

"You're not getting away from us," the blonde girl said evilly, tightening her grip.

"Oh no, we couldn't have that!" the second crooned, her black bob dancing.

"Indigo, they're going to kill me!" Violet wailed. A figure moved in front of the alleyway they had been hiding in, blocking the sun. Her red hair waved long, and the shadow from her hat covered all of her face except her wide smile.

"I don't like the looks of this," Indigo growled, knocking out the Victreebell. The newcomer unclipped an Ultra ball from her waist, smile growing impossibly wider, but Violet was already struggling, elbowing one girl in the stomach and stepping on the others toe.

"Let's go!" she shouted, breaking free, barely pausing to make sure Indigo was following. She sprinted to the other end of the alley, grabbing her fallen pack as she went. She stumbled slightly as an earsplitting roar shattered the world.

"What _is_ that?" Violet shouted, catching a glimpse of a massive shadow behind them. It was gaining, moving fast despite its large size.

Indigo looked back, and started, missing a step. "Tyranitar," he spat, running faster. Violets face went white.

"Aw crap," she whimpered, pushing her legs faster, despite the burning ache. Indigo turned, firing three Dark Pulse attacks in quick succession, aiming at the monsters head. It roared again, in pain this time. Before Violet could react Indigo had her in his arms, jumping with Aura enhanced strength. They landed on a low concrete roof and ducked under the raised edge, all before the smoke from the attack had cleared. The Tyranitar howled in anger, scanning the now empty street.

"Killer, return!" the frustrated, bell-like voice ordered, and the massive dragon disappeared. Footsteps rounded the corner, and a small pack of girls spoke briefly to the red head. After a moment, they all ran off down the street.

Violet let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding, slumping back. She was convinced that every girl in the city was insane.

"This seems…a little overboard," Indigo said finally, catching his breath.

"A little?" Violet demanded, raising her eyebrows.

"A lot," Indigo sighed. "I don't see how we're going to get to the gym if we can't even walk through town without being attacked."

He picked up Violet and jumped down to the street below. They hid behind a tree as a few more girls ran past. Violet sighed.

"It could be worse," Indigo reassured her. "Only twenty girls or so heard what happened. That's not so bad."

"_-and now ladies and gentlemen, a special interview with this years top rookie, Roy Stryker!" _The news lady reported from the enormous screen built into a building. Several passerby stopped to watch. Violet froze.

"_So Roy, what is this big message you wanted to share with the world?"_ the news lady gushed, holding a microphone out.

"_Well Carol, I just wanted to announce my relationship with a very special girl named Bimbi," _Roy spoke onscreen. "_We felt it was time to make everything public. My _girlfriend," Roy said, stressing the word, "-_is the only one in my heart right now…"_

"At least they don't know what you look like," Indigo reasoned, patting the twitching girls back. A picture flashed onscreen, showing Violets terrified face as she ran from the fan girls. Several girls on the street turned to look at Violet, blank expressions on their faces.

"You know what? Forget everything I just said," Indigo suggested. Violet groaned and hit her head against her palm.

"Here we go again," she sighed, as the now zombie like girls started walking towards them. She grabbed her baseball cap from her pack and pulled her long hair under it. She grasped her partners paw tightly. Indigo was already closing his eyes, the black appendages quivering around his ears. Without looking, he held an arm out towards the newest threats, and fired a one handed Dark Pulse at the ground just in front of them.

The girls coughed, waving at the smoke that obscured the air. But when they could finally see, the two were gone.

"Works like a charm!" Violet approved, catching herself as her sightless partner led her around a sharp corner, "You're getting better at this."

"Practice," her Lucario said, grinning. He stopped, pulling them behind the corner of a building. "Should we go to the Pokemon Center? It's not far from here."

"Good plan. We can hide out there for a while." Violet pulled her hat low over her face with one hand, and Indigo darted out from cover, pulling her along the clear route that only he could see. He stopped suddenly, and Violet ran into his back.

"What is it?" she asked, rubbing her nose.

"More of those strange, brain dead females," Indigo growled, gesturing to the front of the Pokemon center.

"Oh, you mean fan girls?"

"Yes, those." Indigo agreed absently. He closed his eyes for a second longer and sighed. "We'll have to go in through the back."

"Well, at least we already have a room," Violet sighed. "Lead on, oh great seer of things."

"'Seer of things' indeed," Indigo snorted, leading the disguised girl around the back of the large Center. A rusty lock held a faded metal door shut. He hit the weak metal with a Force Palm. It snapped with a 'clang', hitting the concrete below. The two froze at the noise, listening for footsteps. After a few tense moments Violet sighed with relief, slipping in through the door.

They seemed to be in an abandoned hallway. Dust sprinkled the rubber floor, and old lights hung halfway from their sockets.

"Convenient," Indigo noted, looking around to see if anyone was in sight.

"Yeah, and terrifying," Violet shuddered, peering over her shoulder. She was fine with hospitals, but that only went for the not-abandoned-and-totally-creepy parts. She jumped at a noise, but it was only voices filtering in from the lobby.

"-and I totally knocked it out in one hit! My Saskia sure is amazing…"

"Nurse Joy could you heal my Pokemon?"

"Cheri berries used to have a different name in Johto, did you know?"

"Of course I'll heal your Pokemon short orange-girl-thing! For a small fee of course…."

"Roy is so cool! He's gonna be Champion, just watch!"

"I hear Erika trained in Kalos before she came here…weird, huh?"

"Violet!" Indigo called out sharply, and the raven haired girl broke away from the babble of voices, surprised. She realized she had been leaning in to the wall separating them from the main lobby, caught up in the many conversations. She smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry. Lets go, ok?" She apologized, but Indigo just rolled his eyes at her and gestured down the hall. It was only a short walk until they reached a plain wooden door, completely identical to those lining the walls. Indigo led them through without hesitation. Another short hallway later, they were in familiar territory. Violet sighed with relief, glad to see the white washed walls and the blue doors of the guest hall. She fiddled with the key to their room, stepping into the dimly lit room.

"Home sweet home," she said wryly, flicking on a light. All the complimentary rooms in the Pokemon Centers looked the same, with slight variations based on town. Celadon's had a potted lily on the center table, and a portrait of a Whimsicott darting underneath moon soaked branches hanging on the wall. All in all, pretty, but boring.

"I get the feeling we won't be leaving for a while," Violet sighed, as a group of laughing girls passed their room on their way down the hall. She plopped herself down on the bed, already restless at the idea of being confined. What they needed was a way to clear up this horrible misunderstanding. Maybe they could ask Roy. She scowled at the thought. No, he wouldn't be of any help. He seemed to be _trying_ to help along the misunderstanding. What could he possibly gain from it?

"Who is this trainer anyways?" Indigo asked suddenly, and Violet realized he'd been left in the dark this whole time.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot that you wouldn't have heard of him," Violet apologized, sitting up. "His name is Roy Stryker, and he's arguably the strongest trainer in Kanto right now…or at least the strongest rookie. He's beaten six gyms, and he even challenged the Champion to a field match once. He lost, but he took down three of Lance's dragons with him. Anyways, he's had a lot of media coverage, so practically everyone knows him. And looking like that he has a lot of fans…well, I guess you figured that one out on your own."

Violet grimaced, rubbing at the half moon cuts in her arm from manicured nails.

"Another strong trainer then," Indigo mused, sitting cross legged on the floor. He still refused to sleep on a bed, saying he was used to sleeping on the ground anyways.

Violet stood suddenly. "We can't be worrying about Roy right now. What we really need to do is beat Erika. Getting to the gym is important too, but it won't do us any good if we aren't prepared."

Indigo rolled his eyes. "From what you've told me Erika isn't as strong as Sabrina, right? We should be fine."

"It's true Erika isn't as high ranked as Sabrina, but she's no joke. None of the gym leaders are." Violet said rationally, "We shouldn't underestimate her just because she's such a gentle person either. She definitely knows what she's doing."

Indigo was silent, seeing the wisdom in her argument. "We would have to get some training done," he admitted, sighing. "That fish needs to level up some more before he's ready for a serious battle. If only you had a few more Pokemon…"

Violet gulped, fingering the black Poke ball she always kept in her pocket. She had clearly put this off for too long. And she would be lying if she said she wasn't worried about his reaction.

"Um, Indigo?" she began tentatively. The warrior looked up, surprised by her new tone of voice. He looked at her expectantly.

"It sure is boring in here," she finished, chickening out with a wince. Why was this so _hard?_

"I could tell you more of my story, if you'd like," Indigo offered unexpectedly, catching her off guard. She blinked and he continued. "It's been a while since I told you anything, and we have some time."

"Uh, sure," Violet said, her mind blanking out. Now that she thought about it, she really hadn't heard his story in a while. And, she realized, the last thing she had heard was that the princess was practically dying and a suspicious doctor had just shown up and…

"Yes, I'd like to hear more please," Violet said fervently, remembering the story she had heard before, in her fevered haze. How had she forgotten about it for so long?

Indigo nodded grimly. "The last thing you heard was the beginning of the Princesses illness, was it not?"

"That's right," Violet responded, nodding. She widened her eyes, his words clicking into place like a puzzle. "Wait…the beginning? You mean it got worse?"

Indigo closed his eyes, the old pain of the memory weighing on his mind. "Yes. What you heard was only the start of my story…only the start of everything." He took a deep breath, bringing the memories back to the front of his mind.

"The Doctor began his work quickly and mercilessly, with almost no regard for his patients life…."

~o~

_Indigo sat in the corner of the dusty room. The shutters were closed, preventing all natural light from seeping through. The Doctor worked by the light of his Cyndiquils blazing back, using strange metal tools that glinted in the flickering fire glow. There was nothing he could do right now, but he couldn't bring himself to leave the smoldering room. He watched with hollow anxiety as the Doctor worked, precise and unfeeling. _

"_Mayanna," the charcoal haired man spoke, holding out one pale, red-flecked hand. The brunette girl handed him a set of curved, iron pliers. The Doctor brought the tool in front of him, out of Indigo's view, and a dull snap came from his patient. _

_Indigo flinched, the sound seeming to echo through his body._

"_She can't feel a thing," the Doctor said without turning around, making Indigo jump again. It still unnerved him, how the man seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. _

_The Doctor reached out a hand to his assistant with sudden excitement, fresh crimson adorning his hand. Indigo wrenched his eyes away, trying to keep the contents of his stomach down. _

"_Look, you see, Mayanna? The energy wavelength originated in the frontal lobe of the brain, but manifested itself in the left lung when the catalyst first appeared. It attacks the body from the inside out by altering the chemicals released by the glands, thus destabilizing her entire system."_

"_So the girl was born with the capacity to carry this wavelength? Or was it implanted when the catalyst was first introduced?" The girl murmured, her brow furrowed as she studied the broken girl in front of her. _

"_It was most likely present from the time her brain first began developing, seeing how deeply implanted it is into her cellular structure." The Doctor stood abruptly, wiping his hands on his white medical apron. He turned, anger glinting in his eyes. _

"_They have been lying to us," he growled, turning for the door. Mayanna reached out, grabbing his arm. The Cyndiquil cocked it's head at the movement, and the fire dimmed. Her brown eyes met black, and the a current of unspoken communication passed between the two. _

"_So…the Princess was born with this thing?" Indigo asked slowly, struggling to keep up. The tension broke at his words, and the Doctor turned to face the bed in the center of the room._

"_In basis. But this is no natural disease. It would seem to be comprised of an ancient, malevolent aura that is passed on mother to child. The only thing we don't know is what caused it to break from its latent stage and begin progression," the man explained. Indigo stared dumbly at him, trying to piece together the gibberish. The Doctor sighed. _

"_It's a curse," he said simply. "And we don't know what activated it." _

"_The Princess is cursed?!" Indigo shouted, horror lacing his voice. A disease was one thing, it could be treated. But curses killed people, and no mortal medicine could cure them. It seemed unthinkable, impossible, that the vibrant Princess could be cursed…but thinking back on the strange fits, he realized that Riza couldn't have had any normal illness._

"_But wait…curses, they can be fixed, right?" Indigo blurted out. The Doctor arched an eyebrow, and Indigo continued, nearly babbling with relief. "Curses always have a condition, or a way for someone to break them, right? So all we need to do is find out what condition the curse has, and the Princess will get better!"_

"_An interesting theory. But I'm afraid it's useless here," Doctor Camellia said, waving it off with a sigh. "We know next to nothing about the curse. No…for now, we must observe. I will be able to study her condition further when she wakes up."_

_Indigo opened his mouth to speak, but the raven haired doctor cut him off. _

"_She will wake up in roughly 18 hours. I suggest you spend some time outside until then. It will do her no good to see you looking like a ghost yourself." _

"_R-right," Indigo said, his mind slowly absorbing what he had been told. Maybe he really did need the rest. But how could he when his best friend was… he shook his head sharply, refusing to complete that train of thought. She would be fine. She had to be. _

_Maybe…he could get her a present, to cheer her up, Indigo mused inwardly. But what?_

_His eyes widened and his worried expression lifted as he grinned. _

"_I'll be back!" Indigo shouted behind, not bothering to check and see if the doctor had heard him. He knew the perfect thing to give to Riza, but it would take some time to get it. If he left now…_

_Mayanna turned as soon as the boy was out of sight, facing the surgeon. _

"_Will this interfere with the treatment?" she asked, slipping back into monotone. The Doctor knew she wasn't referring to the treatment of the curse._

"_No, I don't believe it will," he murmured, staring with an unreadable expression on his face after Indigo. "Everything should proceed according to plan…"_

_~o~_

"Mr. Fin, use Bite on Indigo!" Violet shouted. The Gyarados hissed in anticipation and struck at the Lucario, jaws wide. Indigo seemed to flicker out of sight, and Mr. Fin bit uselessly into the earth. He shrieked in annoyance, shaking clods of grass out from between his teeth.

A streak of white arced up behind the serpents head, and the Lucario struck a blow to the base of its neck. He then fired a Dark Pulse, both to attack, and to propel himself backwards, and out of range of the flailing monster. Violet gritted her teeth.

"Nice try, Mr. Fin. Now, use Thrash!"

The Gyarados began convulsing, his body snaking out along every inch of the practice field, with enough force to crush boulders. Indigo dodged over a wildly swinging tail and was immediately forced to duck out of the way of an armored jaw. He threw a withering look at Violet, but was able to avoid the frenzied attack. It was going to take more than that to stop him.

"Alright Mr. Fin, keep up the Thrash, and add in a Dragon Rage!" Violet's order came, hard to hear over the sound of the attack.

Indigo's eyes went wide. Was she serious?

Apparently she was, because soon the battle field was being bathed in purple and yellow flames, fired in a continuous burst. The fire swung chaotically as the Gyarados continued to Thrash, making it nearly impossible to dodge.

Indigo used Quick Attack enhanced speed to avoid the tangle of writhing scales and scorching flames, completely unable to predict what direction he would be attacked from next. He jumped onto a swinging portion of tail only to be thrown off, directly towards a blazing hot stream of flame. He crossed his arms over his face and used Detect, and the shimmering white bubble repelled the flames, just in the nick of time.

As soon as he was clear from the inferno his Detect was hit by a crushing blow from yet another coil of tail, and he felt himself being whipped back with incredible speed. His bubble hit a tree, shattering instantly, and Indigo fell to the ground.

"Indigo! Are you okay?" Violet called out, halting Mr. Fins attack. It looked like two Violets were running towards him, slowly merging into one. He touched his head and grimaced.

"Sorry, that was a little overboard," Violet apologized. "I just thought it would make a great combination, even though it would be way better if I had Flamethrower, or Hydro Pump. You're not hurt are you?"

"I'm fine," Indigo said, forcing himself to stand. There was no way he would admit that the fish had actually done some damage.

"I'd like to see Roy Stryker beat _that_ in a battle," her Lucario approved wryly, surveying the damage the field had taken. Barely an inch had survived without some kind of scar.

"Weellll, there are a few bugs to work out." Violet gestured to the scorch marks on Mr. Fin. They blackened his scales, lending the already terrifying Gyarados an even more savage appearance.

Violet looked at the sky, biting her lip. She returned Mr. Fin to his Master ball with a sigh. It was almost morning, and soon people would be out and about. They had been training for most of the night, uninterrupted by the murderous fan girls, after Indigo had told a small section of his story.

Indigo could tell she wanted to hear more, that she would have liked to ask him to continue, but he had needed a break. After all, he'd made so many mistakes. It was admittedly difficult to share all those mistakes without bias.

But all the same, he would finish the story. Because at the same time, he _wanted_ her to know, everything. His mistakes, his accomplishments, his failures…it was completely irrational, but he wanted this silly, shy girl to know everything. She had become both a friend and partner, almost without him realizing it.

Indigos nose scrunched up. He needed to stop thinking such cheesy things. It could not be good for him.

A few girls giggled at some joke as they jogged past. Violet froze until they went around the corner, and out of sight. She breathed out, relieved.

"Lets head back to the Pokemon center for now. We can come up with a plan of action and get some food," she suggested. Early risers and shop owners were starting the day, waking up the sleepy city. It was definitely time to go.

"Hey, and if we get there fast we can get pancakes! They're complimentary to guests," Violet said, eyes lighting up.

"What are these 'pancakes'?" Indigo asked, curious.

The dark haired teen stared at him incredulously. "You mean to tell me they didn't have pancakes in your time? What did you even eat?" Violet asked. She got a funny look in her eyes all of a sudden. "This is an emergency! You've _never_ eaten a pancake! To the Pokemon Center, stat!" she decreed, breaking into a run in the general direction of the center.

"Last one there is a wounded Slowpoke," Indigo said, easily breezing past the dark haired girl with his Aura enhanced strength.

"Hey! You cheater, get back here!" Violet complained, laughing. She put on more speed, drawing even with him. Indigo's eyes widened and he pushed himself faster. The two took turns in the lead, racing with everything they had towards the Pokemon Center.

"Oh my!" Nurse Joy exclaimed as the two burst through the door. They were both panting heavily, doubled over. "What happened to you two?"

"Bring me…to the pancakes," Violet moaned, almost falling over.

"Err, right through that door, but are you sure you're-"

"Thanks!" Violet said with a wave, already halfway there.

"Wounded slowpoke," Indigo said with a grin, still breathing heavily.

"What? I totally won! What race were you watching?" Violet complained, shoving his shoulder.

"The one where I won, obviously. You run like a Pidgey."

"Hey, Pidgey are way fast!"

"Not when they're running," Indigo said, coughing out a laugh when she tried to shove him again. They got to a pair of double doors that had a tantalizing smell wafting from behind them. Violet pushed them open.

"You're in denial. Beat by a teenage girl!" She stopped when they had entered the room. A lone figure sat at the table, covered in bandages.

"….Piper? What happened to you?" Violet exclaimed, running forward.

"Oh, Violet, th-there you are," the sandy haired boy said, wincing as he turned around. He smiled, but the effect was ruined by the bandage wrapped around his head, and the shoe mark bruise on his cheek. "I was looking everywhere for you."

"What happened?" Violet repeated in concern. Last she had seen him, he was lying on the ground, passed out. That had been right before…

"Trampled by fan girls?" she guessed, wincing sympathetically.

"In high heels," Piper said, going pale at the memory. Violet cringed just thinking about it.

"I'm sorry, I didn't even notice. Well I was kind of running for my life, but still." Violet sighed.

"I heard about that. S-so why are the news stations calling you Bimbi?" Piper asked, not meeting her eyes. Violets good mood instantly vanished.

"Oh, just a misunderstanding," she muttered darkly. "But someone's going to pay for it, that's for sure."

"What happened?"

At that moment an assistant nurse brought out the pancakes, steaming hot. She set them down at the table with a smile, along with maple syrup and soft butter. Violets mouth started watering. Indigo stiffened in surprise, and breathed deep, enjoying the delicious smell.

"I'll explain later. First, pancakes," Violet suggested, eyeing the pancakes. Indigo silently agreed with her.

"Y-yeah," Piper said haltingly. It didn't even look like the two had heard him, already digging into the delicious pancakes like they hadn't eaten in a week.

~o~

"-and then, I'm being attacked by every single bloodthirsty fan girl in town, and I didn't even do anything!" Violet complained, slamming her empty milk glass on the table indignantly. "They all recognize me by now, and some of them are trainers to boot. If this keeps up, I'll never be able to make it to the Gym. Scratch that, I'll have to leave town!"

"Yeah, Roy has a lot of fan girls," Piper said sympathetically. "I wonder why he told them you were his girlfriend."

"That's just it, I don't know!" Violet wailed. "I haven't seen him since, and I can't go outside without someone trying to assassinate me!"

"Maybe we should just stop running away," Indigo suggested. "Lets fight our way through. Mr. Fin can scare away half of them, and I'll take care of the other half."

"I hate to say it, but we can't just attack defenseless teenage girls," Violet said grudgingly. Not that the plan wasn't appealing.

"I've got it!" Piper exclaimed. Violet and Indigo both turned to look at him and he quailed. "E-er I mean, it might work…."

"What is it?!" Violet demanded when he went silent, desperate for an answer to the problem.

"W-well, you look too much like a girl dressed like that. But if you went as a boy…" Piper stuttered out, cringing at the attention focused on him.

Violets mouth fell into an 'O'. "Piper, you're a genius!" she crowed excitedly. "No one will be looking for a boy! I just need to get into a store without being killed, buy some guy clothes without getting killed, and then I'll just put my hair in a hat and I'll be home free!"

"That's a lot of 'without getting killed'." Indigo commented dryly.

"You could just borrow my jacket and hat," Piper suggested. "Then you won't need to go to a sto-" His breathing was cut off as Violet squealed, hugging him.

"Thankyou-thankyou-thank you-thankyou-thankyou!" she sang, squeezing him tighter. Piper squeaked unintelligibly and Violet let go. He gasped, catching his breath.

"This means I'll be able to challenge the gym! Oh, but first I have to get past that tree. But I'm not going to get mauled!" She felt like dancing all of a sudden, giddy with the solution to a seemingly unsolvable problem.

"W-will you help me train after you beat the gym?" Piper asked, breaking into her reverie.

"No problem! I definitely owe you one!" Violet said with a grin.

"It is convenient," Indigo admitted. The timid trainer was good for something, shockingly.

Piper took his jacket and hat off and gave them to Violet. And with her hair hidden under the hat and her figure covered by the jacket, she really did look like a boy.

~o~

"Piper is a genius, Piper is a genius," Violet sang as she skipped down the halls of the Pokemon Center. A few people gave her odd looks.

"There isn't a guy alive who would be doing that," Indigo muttered, following behind at a distance, so people didn't know they were together. Violet ignored him, but lowered her voice to sound more like a boys while she sang. She heard Indigo groan behind her, but she didn't care.

"Hey! You over there!" an officer Jenny called out sharply, coming towards them. There were three Jenny's in the main lobby, talking to the Nurse joy in charge. Violet gulped and lowered her voice more.

"What is it ma'am? As you can see I am clearly a boy, and not a suspicious character," Violet said gruffly.

Officer Jenny blinked. "Well of course you are young man. Tell me, have you seen any strange Pokemon about?"

"Nope, sorry," Violet apologized. The Jenny thanked them and rejoined the others.

"I am in awe of your acting abilities. You should give me lessons sometimes," Indigo said dryly. They exited the Pokemon Center, stepping into the sun.

"Hey, it worked didn't it?" Anyways, I wonder what strange Pokemon they were looking for?" Violet said, changing the subject. Indigo went stiff, ears alert. "Indigo? What is…"

"Get down!" Indigo shouted, shoving her to the ground. A dark shadow swung over them, and a screech filled the air. All Violet could see were two massive wings, beating furiously above them.

"What is that thing?" she shouted above the wind. The bird Pokemon slashed at Indigo with it's claws, missing by an inch. The Lucario counterattacked furiously, with a Dark Pulse that shot out in all directions.

"I've never seen anything like it," he answered. "But I think it's after-" The bird hit him with a heavy wing and Indigo flew back, hitting the walls of the Pokemon Center.

He didn't move.

"Indigo!" Violet shouted, getting to her feet. She felt thick claws encircle her waist in mid-stride, and the ground flew away beneath her feet.

"Let me go!" Violet ordered, hitting the scaled feet with her fists. The streets of Celadon were shrinking beneath them faster than she would have thought possible, the houses looking like toys. They passed a few wispy looking clouds. "I said let me go!" she repeated angrily. The feathered bird turned its head towards her disdainfully and dropped her.

"AHHHH!" Violet screamed, arms and legs wind milling around uselessly in the air. Wind whipped past her face and the ground seemed to rush up at blinding speeds. The bird caught her again, making her stomach lurch sickeningly. The world spun as they began to rise once again.

"O-ok, I get it. Don't let go, please," Violet said, gripping its talons tighter. Where was this thing taking her? And why _her?_ Had she been recognized somehow?

"Star," the bird retorted. It brought its wings in close to its grey body and shot downwards like an arrow, breaking through the fragile looking clouds. Its wings snapped open when they had neared the ground and the bird stopped in midair. It beat its wings carefully but powerfully until they hovered a few inches off the ground.

"Ow," Violet complained as she was dropped unceremoniously. The Staraptor winged off to the side and landed. It ignored her disdainfully, choosing instead to preen under its massive wings.

"Oy, Pippy, where have you…you're not Pippy."

Violet froze. She recognized that voice.

"You!" she shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Roy Stryker. His eyes widened with recognition.

"Why Bimbi, how nice to see you!" he said, breaking into a wide grin. Violet felt a black aura growing around her head. She couldn't help glaring. He held his hands up in surrender.

"Come on, don't give me that look. It can't be _that _bad having everyone think we're dating. After all, I am one of the hottest rookies to come out of Kanto this year. No pun intended." He grinned and put his arms behind his head, completely carefree. Darn it, he really was good looking.

Violet pushed the thought firmly away.

"Not that bad? Your fan girls are trying to murder me! I couldn't think of a worse thing to be!"

"Don't exaggerate. They wouldn't _actually _try to kill you," Roy patronized. "They're harmless, really."

Violets eye twitched. "One of them had a Tyranitar named Killer. That tried to kill me. Oh, and lest I forget, they were chanting 'off with her head'. Why , _why_ are you doing this to me?"

"Lucille sicked Killer on you…? Well that seems a little overboard….but you're alive aren't you?" Violet glared at him and he backtracked sharply. "Well, you seem like a capable person, so I'm sure you can handle it. Besides, I haven't had this much freedom in years. Its been a whole day, and I haven't been mobbed once! Being single really isn't all it's cracked up to be. I could get used to this."

"So that's why," Violet muttered under her breath. If Roy had to go through this every day, of course he would want to pass the attention to someone else.

"Oh, before I forget, why are you wearing Pippys clothes? You didn't steal them, did you?"

"Of course not! He gave them to me so your stupid fan girls wouldn't recognize me!" Violet retorted. She stopped. "Why are you looking for Piper?" she asked, finally putting two and two together.

"I'm sorry to say it, but that little cream puff is my younger brother," Roy said, sighing dramatically. "We aren't much alike, as you can see I have both beauty and brains, while Pippy has, well, a spine made of marshmallow and a face like a potato. And that's not even going into _training_ ability. I'll be the best there ever was, and Pippy, well, he might end up as a janitor. If he gets lucky."

"Drama queen," Violet muttered under her breath.

"Did you say something Bimbi?" Roy said, raising an eyebrow, barely concealed mirth in his eyes.

"Oh what a nice Staraptor you have!" Violet said loudly, rolling her eyes at him. The Staraptor turned at the sound of it's name. Violet froze, realizing something was missing from the magnificent Pokemon.

"But…" she started, confusion written across her face. How had it been able to recognize Pipers clothes? She stared at the rough scar tissue that marred the feathered pattern above the birds beak, unable to tear her eyes away.

Roy sighed. "Yes, my Staraptor is blind…he saved my life too. You see, I was in Sinnoh, investigating a report of three missing trainers. Everyone thought they had been killed by a savage Pokemon. You get one of those every once in a while, a Pokemon who kills for fun. Anyways, I was stupid enough to think that I could handle it, even though everyone else had failed."

"What happened?" Violet asked, interested despite herself. Roy chuckled at the childlike light in her eyes.

"What do you think happened? I was attacked. I was searching an area right above an excavation sight when an Aerodactyl came out of nowhere. You should have seen it…must have had a fifteen foot wingspan, and it was covered with caked blood. Especially around its mouth."

He paused for a moment to shudder.

"So this monster attacked, and knocked out my team almost before I had time to blink. All I had left was a little Starly I'd been carrying around. I honestly thought I was going to die. Then, this little thing evolved on spot, and attacked the Aerodactyl without hesitation, even though it was about the size of one a watermelon. I've never seen a braver Pokemon." He stroked his Staraptors feathers fondly.

"He was brave, but losing. All I could do was watch. After a while, the Aerodactyl knocked him away and made a dive for me. I didn't even have time to scream. Then, next thing I knew, my Staravia evolved _again_, and used Close Combat to attack. That move is risky - you basically sacrifice defense for an all out attack. He knocked out the Aerodactyl, but not before his eyes got slashed out," Roy finished.

Violets mouth had dropped open somewhere in the middle of his story. "You poor thing!"

"Yes, it was rather terrifying…"

"Not _you_," Violet said, throwing the trainer a withering glare. "Poor, brave Staraptor. Doing all that for a trainer like him," she crooned, hugging the massive bird.

"Trainer like him?" Roy repeated under his breath. But he smiled all the same, petting his Staraptors wing. "He really is something though, isn't he?"

"But how does he fly? And he recognized what Piper was wearing…" Violet said, brow furrowed. Roy laughed.

"Birds of prey have a better sense of smell than people realize. You had Pipers scent on you because you stole his jacket," Roy explained. "He also has a great sense of direction, he can hear something from a mile away."

"I see," Violet said, trying to imagine it.

"I'd better get you back," Roy said with a sigh. "I really need to track down Pippy. Besides, my fan girls will be missing you." He laughed.

"So not funny," Violet growled. She stopped, realizing something. "So you're just going to keep letting everyone think we're dating?!"

"Yup. Like I said, I haven't had this much freedom in _years_."

Violet was speechless, staring at him in fury. "I-I'll go to the news stations and tell them the truth," she threatened.

"They won't believe a no name trainer over me. Try again."

"I'll tell the fan girls we're not dating! Then they'll go back to chasing you!"

"You mean you haven't tried that already?" Roy grinned. "Face it, you're stuck." he turned to his Staraptor. "Come on, lets head out."

"I-I challenge you to a battle!" Violet shouted, desperate. She covered her mouth, realizing what she had just said.

"Oh?" Roy said wickedly, raising an eyebrow. "You're challenging the strongest trainer in Celadon?"

"Th-that's right! If I win, you have to tell everyone we're not really dating. And you have to do it on live television so everyone sees."

Roy was silent, considering. "Alright then. But if _I _win, you have to keep playing the part of my girlfriend. And you have to start going by Bimbi."

"Fine then!" Violet agreed rashly, ignoring the little voice in the back of her head telling her to quit while she was behind. "But there's no way I'll lose! We'll battle in one week, at the fountain in the square!"

Roy chuckled. "You're the weirdest girl I've ever met. Then it's settled. Lets make it a three on three battle then, with no restrictions. I'll even arrange for the news to cover the match. All you have to do is try not to embarrass yourself too much, Bimbi."

"Why you…I'll beat you without breaking a sweat, you can count on it!" Violet shouted. Roy just smirked, and his Staraptor took flight with him on its back.

"And my name is Violet!"

~o~

Indigo gritted his teeth, following the Aura trail high above him. How could he have let that thing take her? He should have been stronger than that! The words of Sabrina's prophecy echoed in his mind and cold shot down his spine. It couldn't be that….

"No!" he said aloud, shaking his head. There was no way Violet would die so easily. Not her.

All he had to do now was find her.

Indigo ran flat out down the streets, dodging passerby without stopping. The trail of the bird led out of the city, along with the wispy Aura that signified fear. It was definitely Violets. His stomach dropped when her Aura trail plummeted alone before soaring high again.

That bird would pay.

He was out of the city limits now, but it looked as though the bird had landed a little less than a mile ahead. He had no sooner completed the thought when he saw a figure walking down the road.

"-bringing me all the way out here and making me walk back….what do those girls see in that jerk!" Violet was muttering darkly. She looked up and noticed him.

"Indigo! Are you alright?" she said, immediately concerned. Indigo sighed. Of course she would be worried about him.

"I'm fine. What happened?" he asked, automatically searching for the bird Pokemon that had carried her off. She seemed to be fine.

"That jerk Roy Stryker happened," the dark haired girl growled. "Apparently that bird was after Piper, but that's not important now. I might've done something….stupid." she finished lamely, looking at the ground.

Indigo was instantly on guard. "It couldn't be that bad," he said, wondering what she could have possibly done. She looked incredibly guilty.

"Well…I might've gotten us into a battle with someone who is the strongest trainer in Celadon, and quite possibly in all of Kanto," she finished in a rush, blushing dark red. She looked as though she was expecting him to rebuke her.

"….is that it?" he asked after a beat of silence. So she'd gotten in a battle with Roy Stryker then? The girl nodded, not looking up. "I fail to see the problem. We fight and win. End of story."

Violet looked up, shocked. "You're not mad? But he's like, Pokemon league level! They say he'll be the Champion in less than two years!"

"What are the rules?" Indigo said impatiently, brushing her off. It didn't matter what his reputation was.

"One week from now, and it's three on three…" She trailed off, looking at the ground again. He noticed she was fingering something in her pocket, and she looked more guilty than ever.

"So you don't have three Pokemon. With a weeks training me and that fish will be more than enough," Indigo reassured her. She started to say something, but he cut her off. "We'll be fine Violet. I dare anyone to take on that Gyarados of yours and live to tell. And you have me too. In other words, you can't lose." He finished with a grin.

"Well, there's one more thing…" Violet said, trailing off again. She looked unsure.

"Yes?" He prompted. Violet was silent. Whatever it was, it seemed she was not yet ready to share it. Or maybe he was reading too much into it. It could be nothing.

"We have a long walk ahead of us," he mused after a while. "Why don't I tell you a story to pass the time?"

"You mean it? Really?" Violet said, completely sidetracked. Indigo chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"I don't see why not. We can start training after we get back. Roy Stryker won't stand a chance!"

~o~

"_Sparks, keep up!" Indigo called behind him. The small Jolteon was hopping through the deep snow from footprint to footprint. Indigo had offered him a ride, but the small Pokemon was stubbornly ignoring him. _

"_Stubborn little thing," Indigo said, rolling his eyes. He turned his eyes back to the mountain ahead of him, taking in its cold majesty. _

_Mount Shishiro, the isolated peak in the Halleden mountain range, was taller than any of the hills surrounding it. Snow encased it year round, making the paths nearly impossible to climb, and on top of that, violent winds were said to come out of nowhere, strong enough to blow someone completely off the cliff face._

_It was arguably the most dangerous place in Halleden. And Indigo just had to get to the top. _

_According to legend, two hundred years ago a mother and child were stranded on this very mountain. How they got there was a mystery; in some versions of the story they were fleeing, in others, they were abandoned. Some people even claimed they were of royal blood, although no record existed that proved it. The one thing that all the stories agreed on was the mothers beauty, and the child's weakness._

_The day the two first set foot on the mountain was calm and beautiful. The raven haired mother carried her daughter, Mireal, in her arms, and a small pack on her back. She was determined to get across the last peak before nightfall, and finally reach the enormous valley nestled in the otherwise mountainous region. But by some quirk of fate, or perhaps by design, the two ended up in the worst storm the heavens could conjure. One moment it was clear as day, and in the next, snow flurries blocked out the sun itself. The mother tried in vain to fight her way through the storm, but as Mireal's condition worsened, she was forced to take shelter in a small cave. With no fire, no blankets or extra clothing, and with few supplies, the desperate woman held her child close, trying to share her warmth. _

_By the next morning, her daughter had passed on, embraced by the lonely cold._

_Torn apart with grief, the woman cried out an angry lament to the heavens, demanding that her child be returned to her. She shouted at the white sky until she could bear it no longer, and fell to her knees weeping. The ice Pokemon of the mountain were moved by her sadness, and they gathered around the child's body. As they breathed on her, it was said that the child's black hair froze into white, and her once brown eyes became as icy and blue as starlight. The girl opened her mouth and began to cry, her tears freezing on her red cheeks. _

_The mother and child left the mountain together, but from that day forward, Mireal could understand the words of Pokemon._

_Many years passed since that winter day, and the young child grew to adulthood. Despite her cold looks, Mireal was as vibrant and warm as the sun, bringing smiles to everyone she met. She kept her ability a secret, and spent many afternoons away from her village playing with her Pokemon friends. But fate was not yet finished with its daughter of ice, and soon a new danger appeared; a danger which threatened all life. It began with a human, a spiteful woman, scorned by her love. It ended with a war between the legendaries themselves. _

_The woman, whose name has long been forgotten, discovered three strange objects, tufts of fur that represented water, lightning, and fire. In an attempt to gain her revenge, she unleashed the power of the three legendary beasts. She did not know that such power could not be controlled. The woman's mistake set the three beasts against each other, and for a time the land was ravaged by powerful winds, lightning storms, and fire. _

_But hope was not yet lost. A powerful Pokemon, a Ninetales, divined a prophecy of the future. Only one person could use the elemental furs to control the beasts. A girl, with a strong connection to Pokemon, who was able to understand their hearts. But the Ninetales also foresaw that the girl would not be strong enough to survive the strain, and that she would inevitably fail. Regardless, the Ninetales brought the prophesy to Mireal, knowing she had a duty to share her vision. Mireal resisted, fearing that her mother would be left alone, but, seeing the destruction the battles had caused, she agreed to try. _

_The prophecy was fulfilled. Mireal brought the three elements to Mount Shishiro, the highest peak encircling Halleden, and poured out her soul calling the beasts. She gave it everything she had to offer, but the strain on her body was great, and Mireal realized she would not be able to hold on until the beasts calmed. Determined, she continued to hold out the three glowing elements to the horizon, snow whipping her white hair around her form, with nothing but the strength of her spirit. Finally, she touched the hearts of the three, and was able to ease their rage. But when she opened her eyes, she saw her own body lying in the snow, a peaceful smile on its face. Wanting to prevent such a calamity from happening again, the wild Pokemon of the area moved the abandoned elements to a cave in the icy mountain, far away from prying human eyes. They returned to the scene to retrieve Mireal, but the snowy haired girl was missing. Instead, a beautiful icy blue flower grew in her place, the exact shade of Mireal's eyes. And lying abandoned in the snow was a shimmering rainbow feather. Many years passed, and although many people went to the mountain to search for the powerful furs, accidents, and snowstorms plagued all who tried. It was said that Mireal's soul was the guardian of the elements. Eventually, the story of Mireal faded into legend. But on Mount Shishiro, the icy blue flowers still grew, bearing a serene witness to the sacrifice of the daughter of ice._

_And that was why Indigo was there. A flower like that was the perfect gift for the princess: beautiful, rare, and ethereal…..a lot like the princess herself, actually. _

"_Hurry up! We're almost there now, I'm sure of it!" Indigo called back without looking. The snow swirled around the boy and his Pokemon, caught between two sides of a rock face, but Indigo ignored it. The thin stone path was arcing up, and he could see a pale sky ahead of him, signaling a break in the small pass. He quickened his pace, eyes locked on the sliver of heaven. _

_He broke through in a shower of soundless flurries and white, quickly shading his eyes from the glare of mirrored sun on ice. Snow hung heavily on the grey stone, and the area was relatively flat, with the exception of the towering cliffs on the right, and the deadly drop off on the left. To get to the top you had to circle the mountain, like a corkscrew, or attempt to climb the ice slicked cliffs, which were riddled with caves. _

_Sparks caught up with him while he stared at the majesty of the cliff, and with one final, enormous leap, he latched on to the back of Indigo's coat and scrambled his way up to his shoulder. Indigo's blue-black hair crackled a little around his ear at the proximity of the sparking Jolteon, but the boy ignored it. _

"_We're almost to the top now, see?" Indigo gestured to the tip of the peak, which was barely showing over the rock face. Of course, it was nowhere near as bad as looking _down_.. Indigo gulped, keeping his eyes carefully away from the aerial view of Halleden. _

_He wasn't scared of heights. He wasn't. Falling, however, was a different story. _

"_Jolt!" Sparks said in surprise, ears perking up. He lifted his nose into the air and every spine on his body went rigid. "Jolt Jolteon!" he cried out, looking frantically at the snow bank that sagged deeply over the next section of path._

"_What are you afraid of? It's just a little snow." Indigo rolled his eyes. The tiny Jolteon bit his ear with tiny, needle-like teeth, trying to pull him to the side. _

"_Ow! Sparks, that hurts!" Indigo complained, stumbling forward, "We need…to go…that way! Stop that!" _

_He started to take the final step forward when Sparks let go of his ear and promptly zapped him with a Thunderbolt. Indigo fell to the ground twitching, and the snow bank collapsed heavily where he would have been had he continued. Sparks gave him a pointed look, eyes narrowed. _

"_Ah…right, not that way then." Indigo groaned as he sat up. The next pass was full of snow now, but maybe he could climb over it. He glanced at the sparking Jolteon and quickly changed his mind. It looked pretty dangerous anyways, with the drop off on the left. _

"_Alright then, how am I supposed to get to the top?" He demanded. _

"_Jolt Jolt…." Sparks mused, looking pointedly up. Indigo gaped. _

"_Oh no. I am not climbing up that thing. Are you crazy? Just look at it! It's got to be three hundred feet tall, at least!" Indigo protested, looking at the towering grey rock face, decorated by icicles and snow. There was no way he was climbing _that_. He would just have to go back and find a different present for the Princess. She wouldn't mind if he got her something else. _

_Guilt washed through him suddenly at the thought. Riza's violet eyes had lit up like the sun when she talked about the legendary snow flower. And he had already come this far…_

_He groaned in defeat, and took his gloves off. It would be impossible to climb with his hands cocooned in fabric. He braced himself against the rock face, testing the first hand hold. Sparks radiated smugness as he dug his claws deeper into his coat._

_And then Indigo started to climb. _

_It was easier than he had thought it would be, finding hand holds in the pockmarked stone. The cliff was strong, and didn't crumble under his weight. But that didn't stop him from testing every grip before he put his whole weight on it. His hands quickly went numb, holding onto the frozen grey stone. _

"_For the record, I blame you for this," Indigo gasped, pulling himself a little higher. 'Just don't look down, just don't look down,' he repeated to himself like a mantra. He kept his eyes on the next hand hold at all times. It was for the princess, just remember…_

_After climbing a while longer - it felt like hours - his grasping hands felt a flat area directly above him. He pulled one elbow onto the ledge and scrambled up, accidentally kicking a loose stone down the cliff._

"_There….I…made it!" Indigo said triumphantly, looking up. His ledge was about thirty feet wide, and on the other side was…_

"_There's more?" Indigo said incredulously, following the cliff up and up and _up. _He looked back over the edge. The bottom was less that fifty feet below him. He had barely climbed anything! But how? He could have sworn he had climbed at least triple that. _

"_The cold must be getting to my head," he groaned, slumping. He felt soft, spiky fur bumping against his cheek and looked up. Indigo reached up to rub between his Jolteons ears. "It's okay. I just…..have to climb a little more, that's all," he said, sounding braver than he felt. He couldn't help but gulp, looking up at the rest of the daunting cliff. _

_He stood carefully, wary of the deep snow that had been trapped on the ledge by wind. He slogged his way towards the cliff, leaving wide gouges in the snow behind him. Finally, he put a hand out on the pale stone. _

"_Ready?" he said, turning his head towards the Pokemon on his shoulder. His face hit rigid spikes instead of the soft fur he was expecting. Every hair on the Jolteons body was standing on end, stiffened by an increased electrical current. _

"_Sparks? What's…." Indigo froze as the sound of cracking echoed up to him from beneath, slowly getting louder. Sparks cried out angrily and loosed a wicked, serrated Thunderbolt at the cliff somewhere above them and then-_

_~o~_

"_Indigo! Look, I found a book full of Pokemon!" Riza sang, plopping herself down on the grass next to him. She held an ancient, leather bound book that looked like it had been inhabited by violent dust bunnies._

"_Full of Pokemon? You mean like pictures?" Indigo propped himself up on one arm, interested despite himself. The Princess grinned and nodded. She opened the book to the first page and Indigo discovered firsthand how true his dust bunny theory was. He coughed, waving his hand at the cloud of grey. The Princess was already flipping through pages, childlike light filling her eyes. _

"_Look at this one! My-loat-ick….oh wow, it's so pretty!"_

_The Pokemon was pretty. Long and serpentine, it radiated beauty and grace. It's eyes were large and wise. _

"_Look at this," Riza said, holding up the book. "Char-man-der. This one is pretty cute, dontcha think?"_

_Indigo eyed the Pokemons sharp teeth, vividly portrayed in the hand drawn picture. "Er, yeah. Cute. Where did you find this book anyways?" he said, changing the subject._

"_It was in the library at the palace," Riza explained, eyes never leaving the book. She flipped to another page. "This one is called 'Lucario'. It looks…I can't even explain it right. Intense, somehow," she explained, brow furrowed. _

"_Indigo, what's wrong?" Riza said, looking at his shocked face with concern. _

_Blue lightning sizzled around the princess, arcing between patches of skin. Small, zapping arches danced across her face even as he watched. What was wrong with her? _

_The Princess asked something else, completely oblivious to the danger, but he didn't hear. The world started to go dark at the edges, and the princess's voice seemed to be getting farther and farther away. He stumbled, falling on the ground. _

"_Indigo!"_

"_AHHHHHHH!" he screamed, his eyes snapping open. Lightning shattered along his nerve endings, lighting his strangely cold body with heat. The electricity broke off at his cry and his back fell to the ground. Spots were dancing in front of his eyes, and his breathing was ragged. _

"_Eon, ee," Sparks said worriedly, nudging his head. Indigo's breath frosted in front of him and the cold shocked him with its intensity. He sat up quickly, surprised at the lack of light. Blue tinted snow hung heavily on the rock walls on either side of him, and everything was strangely quiet. _

"_Thanks Sparks. I think." Indigo grimaced, rubbing the spots out of his eyes. He must have blacked out when he fell. Sleeping in the snow was deadly, even he knew that. _

"_Where….where are we?" he asked, and his voice echoed around him. His eyes widened as he remembered the sounds of cracking ice, and he looked up sharply. Far above them was a sliver of sky, framed by rock on either side. He could have sworn he saw something looking down at them, but when he looked again it was gone. _

"_Are we inside the mountain?" he said, horror lacing his voice. Of course! The mountain face was riddled with caves where Pokemon lived….._so the mountain was hollow!

_Indigo groaned, dragging a hand through his hair to brush out caked snow. The ice and snow must have concealed the opening in the ground, and he had been to heavy for it to hold. That had to have been what happened. _

"_How are we supposed to get to the top now? Wait, scratch that, how are we supposed to get out of here?" He looked around their cave, but the passageways were limitless. There was no way of telling which were exits and which were dead ends. They could even be….Pokemon dens. Indigo shuddered, not wanting to imagine what kinds of Pokemon lived in such a place._

"_Eon! Jolt!" Sparks cried out, his fur forming into sharp, crackling spikes. He looked terrified, practically hissing at whatever he sensed. _

"_Do you smell something? What is it?" Indigo followed his Jolteons gaze to a large cave mouth to their left. The opening glowed, ever so faintly. _

"_That must lead outside! Good job boy!" Indigo said excitedly. The small Jolteon looked at him like he was crazy. _

"_Oh come on. So a scary Pokemon walked outside a while ago and you can still smell it. Are you…scared?" he challenged, raising one eyebrow. _

_The prideful Pokemon stiffened. Indigo fought a smirk and began making his way towards the light. After a moments hesitation he felt claws attach themselves to the back of his coat. _

_Indigo reached the mouth of the cave, eyes automatically searching for the source of the light. The tunnel split into two. One was wider, and a breeze flowed gently through it. But the glowing was coming from the second fork, that led deeper into the mountain. _

_Indigo hesitated. _Just a peek, _he promised himself. He had to step up to reach the second tunnel, and then he had to duck under the low, rocky ceiling. Sparks protested his course with a cry, tugging on his ear. Indigo ignored him. The glow intensified in front of them, forming into three colors that flickered softly, casting three different shadows on the ground. With trepidation he stepped into the lit up cavern. _

_The cave was dazzling. That was his first impression. Crystal walls reflected the red, yellow, and blue lights a thousand times over, and eight passageways broke off from the main cave, almost geometrically. The light seemed to come from a raised platform in the middle of the circular room, and under that was…._

"_A snow flower!" Indigo said excitedly, running forward. But how did it grow underground? He decided he didn't care about the details. What was most important was that he had found what he was looking for. _

_And it was worth it. The delicate, ice blue bloom had slanted petals that curved up to the sky, fading to white at the tips. The stem and leaves were a strange, dark shade of blue that perfectly complimented the starry flower. _

_It was perfect. _

"_Sparks, we did it! We actually found one! I can't believe it, Riza is going to love it, and I can rub it in that doctors face that I found one, and-"_

_While Indigo was celebrating his good fortune, a small Pokemon entered the room yawning sleepily. It rubbed at one eye with a brown, furry paw. It saw the snow flower and blinked. _

"_-and then she'll get completely better because she's so happy, and we'll go back to training together, and it's so-"_

"_Aaaaaaoomph," the Teddiursa said, devouring the entire bloom in one, enormous bite. It chewed slowly, still rubbing at one, sleepy eye. It looked up, noticing the visitors for the first time. Indigo was caught mid word, staring at the young Pokemon._

"…_.."_

_The Teddiursa paused, meeting his eyes. It started chewing again and swallowed noisily._

"_AH! You-but-why," Indigo spluttered in disbelief, the shock wearing off. "You're going to pay for that!" _

_He grabbed for the Teddiursa and crashed into the floor when it bounced aside. "Come back here!" Indigo lunged for it again, but it danced under his legs. He whirled and slowly backed the small Pokemon into a corner. _

"_How does Teddiursa soup sound to you, Sparks? I hear they're also quite tasty with leeks," he said ominously, grinning a little crazily. Sparks made a small noise of agreement, showing his teeth. The Teddiursa gulped and made a dash for the side._

"_Got you!" Indigo shouted triumphantly, holding the small Pokemon up. It struggled, sinking its teeth deep into his hand. Indigo yelped, but held tight. After a moment the Teddiursa looked up at him with big, watery eyes. It started to bawl noisily, the noise echoing in the glittering cave. _

"_Hey, stop that!" Indigo protested, holding the sobbing baby away. "Ok fine, I won't eat you! But only if you stop crying right now!" _

_The Teddiursa hiccupped and fell silent. Its lower lip trembled and it looked up at him._

"_You're….actually pretty cute," Indigo said grudgingly, unable to resist the intense levels of adorableness. "Maybe Riza would think so too," he mused, studying the small Pokemon. The Teddiursa's ears perked up, and it blinked._

_Indigo set the Teddiursa down and reached into his pocket and pulled out a spare Poke ball. He reached forward and pressed it against the Teddiursa's golden forehead. It disappeared in a flash of light, with a surprised look on its face. The sphere wiggled crazily and fell still._

"_Well that was easy," Indigo said wryly. He picked up the warm sphere and let the Teddiursa out._

"_It's settled then. You ate the princesses present, so now you _are_ the princesses present," Indigo reasoned with a grin. His smile faded, "Now I just need a name…it's gotta be cute, or she'll complain…" he straightened. "I dub thee Fluffy, eater of plants and biter of hands," he decreed. Fluffy seemed to be alright with the name. She poked the Poke ball again experimentally, jumping back when it didn't respond. Indigo laughed. _

"_And now, we've got to get out of here," he announced, straightening. The Teddiursa stuck a paw in it's mouth. Indigo picked it up and set it on his shoulder. _

"_Eon Jolt!" Sparks protested from the other side. He growled, sparking madly. _

"_Hey now Sparks, there's room for two," Indigo placated him. He really hoped Sparks wouldn't react like this every time he caught a Pokemon. _

_Sparks turned away sulkily and fired a small bolt of lightning around the back of Indigo's head. It hit the Teddiursa behind the ear making it fall to the ground._

"_Sparks!" Indio protested, reaching down to pick up the now bawling baby. "That was mean!"_

"_Jolt jolt?" the small electric type said, as if to say 'who me'? Indigo shot him a withering look. _

"_We'll talk later. First lets get out of-" he stopped, as a rumbling growl filled the cavern. Indigo gulped. _

"_ you…no, it was probably nothing. Just the wind! Haha…" he trailed off as the growling multiplied. Several pairs of red eyes flicked open in the mouth of one of the passageways. _

_The Teddiursa stopped crying, and broke into a happy smile. "Teddy! Teddiursa!" it sang, waving. A massive, bulky figure stepped into the cave. It had to duck to enter the room. Indigos face went white. _

"_Ursaring," he breathed. He looked down at the Teddiursa in his arms. "I-it's not what it looks like, honest," he stammered. The Ursaring roared, and three more appeared just behind it, growling contemptuously. _

"_What do you do when a bear attacks….are you supposed to play dead or make a lot of noise?" Indigo babbled out loud, stepping back. "No….fire! You're supposed to use fire! Right! I have some of that…" He started digging through his pockets furiously, looking for matches. _

_Sparks jumped to the ground in front of him, striking a battle pose. The Ursarings loomed over him, giants in comparison. The tiny Pokemon narrowed its eyes, shrinking back just a little. It shrieked, letting loose a massive Thunderbolt that blinded everyone in the cavern. It struck the leader dead on. _

_For a moment, everything was silent. The largest Ursaring's fur was smoking slightly, and the other three looked wary. Then, the leader let out a roar that shook stones free from the ceiling in its anger._

_Indigo covered his ears and stumbled back. His back hit the stone pedestal in the middle of the room, and he noticed it for the first time since entering. Three shimmering tufts of what looked like fur adorned the pedestal, glowing in red, yellow, and ice blue. His eyes widened. _

_While he was preoccupied, the Ursaring attacked in a rage. It slashed at Sparks with terrifying, serrated claws, throwing the small Pokemon hard against the wall. Before it could take another swing Indigo threw himself between them, holding a lava hued tuft of fur in front of him. _

"_Fire!" he shouted triumphantly, holding the fur out like a sword. The Ursarings stared at him in shock. _

"_Er….back beasts, back!" he tried again, waving it back and forth. The floor started rumbling beneath them, and the yellow and blue glows faded, until they were just dim lights. _

_Fluffy covered her eyes. _

"_What's going-HEY!" he shouted, as the four Ursaring charged him, swinging their heavy paws like clubs. More and more eyes opened up in the surrounding passageways, glowing and angry. _

"_Time to go!" Indigo shouted. Sparks jumped onto his back, claws digging in all the way to his skin, but Indigo barely noticed. He scooped up Fluffy and made a beeline for the passageway they had come from. Shocked Pokemon cries echoed from the cave behind them, getting louder every second. _

"_What did I do?" Indigo cried out, ducking into the passageway. Sparks fired electric bolts from his back every few seconds, doing his best to fend off the invasion of mountain Pokemon. The weak red light from the fur illuminated his way just enough for him to go quickly, even though the path was riddled with rocks and sudden drops. Finally, he broke out of the passageway, finding himself back at the fork in the road he had encountered earlier. He took the second fork, sprinting flat out in the smoother tunnel. He could hear sounds of pursuit behind him. _

"_I think this one goes outside!" Indigo shouted, over the increasing roar of angry shrieks. Sparks fired three more Thunderbolts in quick succession, panting heavily. The dim passage was brightening as the got further and further ahead. Indigo put on a burst of speed and broke out into the sun. _

"_We made it!" He shouted, exultant. He looked down and realized his feet hadn't touched the ground yet._

"_AHHHHH!" Indigo yelled, looking down at the steep, glittering slope beneath him. He hit the snow, sliding down impossibly fast. Sparks scrambled up to his shoulder as Indigo dug his feet in, trying in vain to slow them down. Fluffy shrieked, holding onto his arm so tightly he could feel his circulation being cut off. Ahead of them the slope dropped off suddenly. _

"_You have got to be kidding me!" Indigo shouted, doubling his efforts to stop before they all went over the cliff. They slid across the slick snow, unable to find purchase. Indigo held the Teddiursa tighter and closed his eyes as they all shot off the edge. _

_Wind screeched past them at an unbelievable speed, threatening to rip the two Pokemon away from Indigo. He held onto the tiny brown Pokemon with every bit of strength he had, but the Jolteons claws were ripped from the back of his coat, carrying away scraps of fabric with them. Sparks flew away from them with a cry. _

"_SPARKS!" Indigo shouted, reaching an arm out to the small Pokemon. A gust of wind struck from the right, sending the lighter Jolteon far out of reach. "No!" Indigo shouted angrily. He didn't have time to try and reach him. The next thing he knew he was tumbling through yet more snow, that crunched and cracked underneath him._

"_Ow…" he complained, rubbing his head. He looked up. "I've never been more thankful to a pile of snow," Indigo said ruefully. He had hit a deep snow bank, and from the looks of it, he had fallen a straight seven feet down before stopping. If it hadn't been for the snow…he shuddered, refusing to finish the thought. _

"_You OK Fluffy?" he asked trying to sit up. The Teddiursa nodded, eyes wide. _

"_We've got to find Sparks. Then we can get off this mountain," Indigo said, standing precariously. Climbing up would be fairly easy, or so he hoped. _

_He hoped right. Then snow wasn't straight powder, so getting a grip wasn't hard. The only bad part was, he had somehow lost his gloves. His hands stung bitterly, but he had to get out of the pit. _

"_Seems like I'm doing a lot of climbing today," he muttered, pulling himself higher. "A lot of falling too. And screaming. I think I could use a few nice, relaxing days after this. With no snow in sight." He sighed dreamily. _

"_Teddy," Fluffy agreed, shivering slightly. She was sitting on his back with her arms wrapped around his neck. The fur was in his coat pocket. It radiated warmth. _

_Indigo managed to get an elbow above the lip of the pit. The snow wasn't very secure, and when he finally managed to stand he promptly sank in to his knees. _

"_Sparks!" he called, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Sparks!" _

"_Teddiursa!" Fluffy echoed, calling for her violent comrade. A small piece of snow detached itself from the blinding white around it, shaking furiously. It crawled up onto a rock and dislodged the snow covering it with a golden flash of thunder. _

"_Sparks!" Indigo cried out again, grinning. The Jolteon turned to him with a joyful expression. Then his ears went flat, and he hissed fiercely. _

"_What it is boy?" Indigo asked in confusion, slogging closer to the small Pokemon. The Jolteon cried out a warning just as a frigid gust of wind hit Indigo in the back. He fell to his hands and knees in the snow, a diamond dust flurry surrounding him in a whirl of ice. Blue eyes regarded him with something akin to determination from the wall of wind, and then disappeared. _

"_Who are you?" Indigo called out in anger, trying to break free of the whirlwind of snow. He could feel the temperature plummeting, and small shards of ice stung his exposed skin. His strength began to ebb away. _

"_No!" He shouted angrily, "I won't die like this!" With renewed determination he began to fight his way forward, flinching at the extreme cold. Whoever, or _whatever_ was attacking him was losing strength too. He _would_ get back to the Princess. _

"_Glace," a voice echoed thoughtfully, seeming to come from all around him at once. The blizzard ebbed, just a little. _

"_Eon!" Sparks growled valiantly, bursting through the wall of cold to stand knee deep in front of Indigo. "Eeeeee!" The Jolteon shrieked, loosing hundreds of small lightning bolts in all directions. One of the bolts hit Indigo's leg, sending him to the ground, twitching. _

_The wall of glittering white broke, revealing a cyan Pokemon with large, diamond shaped ears._

_It would have been beautiful, if its eyes weren't so cold. _

"_Jolteon," Sparks said in wonder, staring at the elegant Pokemon. Everyone was frozen until the starry blue feline jumped back, firing a shimmering white Ice Beam at Indigo's legs, intending to freeze him to the ground. _

"_Whoa!" Indigo shouted, scrambling back. The snow he had just been laying on was glossed over solid from the attack. It seemed like every Pokemon on the mountain was out to get him! What had he done to make them all so _mad_?_

"_Sparks, use Pin Missile!" Indigo ordered, standing. The rigid spikes on his Jolteons back glowed sharp and burst out like shooting stars. The strange ice Pokemon hissed in anger and sprang back. Icicles dripped from it's fangs, forming jagged extensions to it's teeth. It leapt forward with its new set of fangs bared. Sparks tried to move away, but the small Pokemon was unable to jump on the surface of the snow like it's opponent. He let out a piercing cry as the Ice Fang bit into him. _

"_Sparks, return!" Indigo shouted frantically, pulling the Electric type into its Poke ball and out of the ice Pokemons reach. _

"_Glaceon," the feline said in disappointment. She turned to Indigo, her star blue eyes piercing. _

_Indigo gulped. He stuffed his injured Jolteons poke ball into his pocket and grabbed Fluffy. Now seemed like a good time to leave. He dove for the rocky section of the path that wound along the mountain just as an Ice Beam shattered along the snow behind him. He scrambled to get under some kind of cover in the thin trail. _

"_I'm not sure how we're getting out of this one Fluffy," Indigo shouted over the sudden noise of a Blizzard attack. He winced, ducking behind a boulder. The intense winds shrieked down the winding canyon, contained by the two rock walls. At least it was better than being in the open. _

"_I'm sorry…that you got pulled into this mess. But that thing is only after me. You can walk out of this right now," Indigo explained, meeting the small bears eyes. The Teddiursa looked up at him, an unfathomable expression in it's eyes. It closed its mouth into a firm line and hopped off his lap._

_At least one of them would get out for sure, Indigo thought. He couldn't expect the tiny Pokemon to get frozen to death with him. They had just met after all, and it had been a series of near death experiences since then. _

_The Teddiursa stood in the mouth of the path, facing the glittering white open area. The Blizzard stopped as the Ice guardian saw the baby Pokemon alone. _

_The Teddiursa put a small paw on the rock wall beside it. Then it started to glow. _

"_What the…" Indigo gasped, as the tiny Teddiursa exploded up, growing to nearly six feet tall. The newly evolved Ursaring slashed at the sides of the pass with elongated claws, bringing the rocks down to block the path off completely. Indigo could hear the Ice Pokemons cry of rage behind the newly formed barrier, and wind blasted in between the cracks, but the wall held firm. _

"_Fluffy," Indigo said, his eyes sparkling in a way totally unsuitable for a man. The Ursaring grinned at him. _

"_Alright, lets get out of here," Indigo said, returning the smile. He turned quickly down the path, the Ursaring lumbering down behind him Indigo didn't think they had much time before that Pokemon broke through the rocks. _

_But he needn't have worried. After just fifteen minutes of scrambling down the mountain, the trees started to appear once again, and the air warmed to a reasonable temperature. Indigo sighed in bliss, and feeling returned slowly to his fingers and toes. _

"_You know I can't give you to the Princess now," he mused, when they had gotten further from the mountain. Fluffy the giant bear turned to look at him questioningly. _

"_You're just not cute enough," Indigo said, shaking his head sadly. "I guess that means I'll have to keep you. What do you say?" _

_Fluffy rumbled in agreement, and the two walked through the forest towards the spiral towers of Halleden Castle._

_~o~_

Violets eyes went wide as she looked up at the sky. She broke into a disbelieving grin. "It worked! I can't believe it worked!" she sang, exultant. Indigo couldn't help but be impressed.

"I admit it. That was amazing," he said, unable to tear his eyes from the patterns of black smoke. "You've outdone yourself, Violet."

"Congratulate Mr. Fin, not me. He did all the hard work. Isn't that right Mr. Fin?" Violet crooned, petting her Gyarados's scales. Mr. Fin made a pleased rumbling noise, his breathing still ragged from the intense training.

"Oh yeah! We can't lose this thing now!" Violet celebrated, punching the air uncharacteristically.

It had been a long week, for Violet especially. Some of the tougher fan girls had challenged her to battles when they caught sight of her, adding more spice to the usual training. By now the entire town knew that Roy and 'Bimbi' were having a public match. It had received a lot of media attention because of Roy's reputation, and a lot of spectators were expected to come and watch.

But all the trouble would be worth it when they beat Roy Stryker at his own game.

"Just remember, you're only going to have one shot," Indigo cautioned. Getting overconfident could mean the match. "If you miss, it will be back to normal tactics."

"I know, I know. I won't miss, you can count on it!" Violet said with a grin. She was using a fairly under leveled Pokemon against a pro, but there would be no disadvantage. Not with the strategies she'd come up with.

Indigo was impressed with the move, but he was even more surprised at the trainer behind it. He would have never expected the previously shy girl to be hiding such a brilliant tactical mind. With her flexible strategies and adaptability, she was the perfect trainer to hone his skills. He couldn't have found a better partner.

He would be able to return soon. He just knew it.

He was surprised to feel the strange emotion that passed through him at the thought. It was almost like he was having second thoughts. But that was silly, why wouldn't he want to return? He would be able to see Riza again, and protect Halleden from destruction.

But that would mean leaving Violet behind forever. Did he really want that?

"Ah! We're going to be late!" Violet cried out, looking at the time on her Pokedex. "Return Mr. Fin! We've gotta go! But first we should heal at the Pokemon Center. Come on, Indigo!" she shouted, breaking into a run. They had been training in the outskirts of town to avoid attention, so the Pokemon Center was a good distance away.

"I'm so sorry, I should have kept better track of the time!" Violet wailed as they ran side by side. The citizens of the town barely looked up at their passage, used to the unpredictable antics of the violet eyed girl.

"Don't worry about it," Indigo assured her. He jumped over a leashed Growlithe without breaking stride when it didn't get out of the way fast enough. He definitely wouldn't have been able to do _that_ when he was human. "You can make it up to me by beating Roy Stryker in front of the entire world."

"Right," Violet gulped. "No pressure, right?" She laughed nervously.

"You'll be fine," Indigo assured her as they came to the front of the Pokemon Center. "Now go! I'll wait here." Violet nodded and turned on her heel into the Pokemon Center. Indigo slowed to a stop.

He was getting too attached to this time. That much was obvious. He had spent more than a year here already after all, with no way to return home besides a vague prophecy that he'd been barely conscious to hear. It was only natural that he would find things he didn't want to let go of. Things he didn't want to leave behind. The thought of cutting ties with Violet was admittedly painful.

But at the same time, _she_ didn't need _him, _he realized. Violet would go on with her life after he left. She would meet new friends and partners and eventually forget about him. Riza…no, all of Halleden was in danger. Tero was ready to destroy anything and anyone who didn't follow him, and on top of that, Entei was ravaging the land. He didn't know how much time would have passed when he got back, but it didn't matter. He couldn't just leave them behind so he could live a comfortable life.

Especially when he had caused the danger in the first place.

Indigo looked down grimly. He might not like everything about it, but it was the best…no, the _only_ choice. He hoped he at least got the chance to say good bye.

"It's not how I thought it would be you know," a familiar voice said from the alley near the Pokemon Center. Indigo started, having thought he was alone. The voice continued, and Indigo made out a figure sitting on the ground, knees pulled up to her chest.

"I thought it would be _fun_, going wherever I wanted to go, doing whatever I wanted to do…" the girl sighed, her dark hair hiding her face. "But there's no one to talk to, not really, and this place has so many _rules_, like no impersonating officers of the law, and food costs so _much. _It's not fun anymore. I feel almost like I don't have a purpose here."

"Who are you?" Indigo asked in confusion, stepping forward. The girl looked up and Indigo found himself staring into a familiar pair of amethyst eyes.

"Don't you remember me?" Violet asked sadly.

"INDIGO!" Violet shouted from the opposite direction. Indigo turned sharply, and saw the dark haired girl standing outside the Pokemon Center, looking in all directions. She turned and saw him standing in the alley.

"What are you doing in there? Come on, we've gotta go!" she said, gesturing towards the square.

Indigo looked back into the alleyway, but it was completely empty.

"I'm on my way," he said at last. He threw one more confused look into the abandoned space before running to catch up to his trainer.

~o~

_This was it_.

Everything they'd done this past week was for this moment. And Violet was ready for anything. If she won today, she would not only clear her name, her name would gain countrywide recognition as the girl who beat Roy Stryker. And after that intense training, she was more than ready to beat Erika as well.

She would fight. And she would win. Just like a wise friend once told her. Violet grinned and ran a little faster, skidding around a corner.

The square was just ahead, and Violet could already see the dancing crystal water spouting from the top of the fountain. It seemed like half of Celadon had shown up to watch the battle. At her arrival, many of them turned to look at her. A passage through the sea of people opened up, straight to the heart of the square. Roy Stryker sat on the edge of the fountain, watching his Luvdisc play in the water. He turned to her.

"You're late," he acknowledged, raising an eyebrow. "I was beginning to think you were chickening out…Bimbi."

Violets eyes flashed angrily. Oh, she was so going to win. She walked forward, holding her head stiff as people whispered on either side of her. She tried to ignore the old urge to act invisible. Not today. Today, she would walk proud.

"Roy Stryker," she began, staring him firmly in the eyes. "I challenge you to a battle. You already know the stakes. Now you just have to prepare to lose!" the dark haired girl stated, determination radiating from her stance. She saw Indigo join her silently out of the corner of her eye.

Roy laughed, caught off guard. "Aren't you full of surprises. I accept your challenge. Shall we begin?" Violet nodded. She let out an unconscious grin, ready for a fight. The crowd, that had gone quiet as they spoke, burst into excited whispers. True to his word, Roy had arranged for the news to cover the match. He had even told them to avoid using the name Bimbi until after the match.

All of Kanto would be watching.

"This will be a three on three battle with no restrictions!" the referee announced, holding up two flags. "In the red corner we have Roy Stryker, top rookie in Kanto!" The crowd cheered loudly as the ref raised the red flag. "And in the blue corner, we have-"

A woman ran up and whispered in the referees ear. He looked surprised. "In the blue corner is an unnamed rookie trainer! Let the match begin!"

It was Roy who made the first move. "Go, Staraptor!" he ordered, releasing his blind bird of prey with a flourish.

Violet didn't waste any time either. "Mr. Fin, lets go!"

The crowd murmured as her blue-black Gyarados was released in a flash of amethyst. The massive serpent hissed, rising to its full height. Violet couldn't help but feel proud, looking at the crowds reaction to her starter. He really was something.

"Are you really going to fight a blind Pokemon?" Indigo murmured by her side.

"Trust me. Roy wouldn't battle with a Pokemon that wasn't at the top of it's game," Violet answered. She tensed, waiting for the first attack.

The Staraptor arced high in the air, getting its bearings. Then, without warning or an order, it dove down, claws stretched towards Mr. Fins head.

Violet reacted in a flash. "Mr. Fin, Dragon Rage straight ahead!" she ordered. Purple and gold flames bathed the sky as they spilled from Gyarados's maw. The bird continued its dive, hitting the fire dead on. The flames split in two when the attacks collided, bursting to either side. The Staraptor didn't even flinch.

"Good job Staraptor, go straight ahead!" Roy encouraged the bird. The grey Pokemon dove straight down the attack, headed inevitably for its target.

Finally it reached the end of the flames. With a shriek of victory the Staraptor slashed with elongated claws.

But when the fire dispersed, the Gyarados was nowhere to be seen.

"Alright Mr. Fin, NOW!" Violet shouted from the side. The Gyarados hissed in anticipation, and swung his armored tail at the bird from behind.

Roy started at the unexpected move, and whistled three notes. The Staraptor turned it's head towards the noise and dodged around the Thrash expertly. Roy whistled a staccato tune that cut off suddenly, and the Staraptor back winged sharply, avoiding another potential blow from the Thrash.

The crowd backed up from the sides of the square as the massive Gyarados rampaged furiously, hitting everything within reach without qualm. His tail whipped out and hit an invisible barrier that shimmered slightly when struck. The Psychic Pokemon protecting the crowd grimaced.

"Staraptor," Roy shouted, using words once again. "Go for the gaps!" The grey-black bird cocked it's head, listening intently as the Gyarados Thrashed beneath it. It darted down suddenly, scoring a hit against the deep blue scales. It winged back up out of range as the serpent shrieked in rage. It repeated the attack, slashing the Gyarados just under its head.

"Hit and run, is that it?" Violet said with a grimace. The Staraptor maneuvered better than she'd expected without sight. "Alright, add in a Dragon Rage!" she ordered, thinking back to the strategy she'd used a week ago. The flames swung haphazardly around the field, bathing everything in multi-hued light. The barrier rippled whenever the attack swung to face the crowd.

"Look at _that_!" the news lady said in awe, covering her ears as the Gyarados roared out flames. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I've never seen anything like this! Will Roy be able to counter such a reckless move? Stay tuned to find out!"

The two Pokemon were at an impasse. Both were taking and giving hits in quick succession. It was impossible to determine where each attack would come from next. The Staraptor darted in to give another attack, but didn't react fast enough to avoid a swinging portion of tail. It got knocked back with a cry.

Roy was calm. "Back to the sky Staraptor!" he ordered, and the massive bird beat its powerful wings, rising high above the battlefield.

"Now, Hyper Beam!"

Violet had barely registered this when the powerful attack arced down from the heavens. With the Gyarados thrashing around so much, it couldn't miss. Smoke exploded around the field, and Mr. Fin shrieked in pain.

"Mr. Fin!" Violet cried out, running onto the field. The night blue monster made a crooning sound as she approached, deep in its throat. Violet breathed a sigh of relief. He was alright.

Roy had a funny look on his face. "You aren't afraid to go out on the battlefield, are you?"

Violet stopped. She really hoped that wasn't against the rules.

"You're good. A lot better than I expected actually," Roy admitted. "But it doesn't matter how good a trainer is when their Pokemon is confused. Staraptor, hang tight for a bit, and then finish it with another Hyper Beam!"

Violet returned to the side quickly. The Staraptor would have to recharge, luckily. That gave her all the time she was going to need.

"You ready Mr. Fin?" she asked in a low voice. The Gyarados hissed in determination and rose.

"Good! Now light up the sky!" she said with a grin, pointing up. Indigo smirked at her side in anticipation.

"Fire Blast!"

The dark hued serpent stretched high, flames spilling from the sides of his jaw. An inferno of red fire blasted up at the sky, highlighted with gold. It exploded in a five pointed star just to the right of the Staraptor. It flinched at the proximity of the heat, but was unharmed.

Below it, three more Fire Blasts arced up into the sky, trailing embers. They hit the other three sides around the bird, boxing it in.

"Alright, now go!" Violet shouted. One final Fire Blast roared up dead center. It joined the other fire stars and exploded, burning the sky with a massive inferno of flames. Violet held an arm in front of her face as the shock wave from the attack hit, making her hair whip back furiously.

The flames died down, and the charred Staraptor fell to the cobblestones with a thud.

The crowd roared with cheers, making Violet jump.

"-and Roy Stryker's Staraptor has fallen in an incredible final attack! Ladies and Gentlemen, this round goes to the rookie trainer in the blue corner!" The news lady said excitedly. The cameraman panned to show the geometric patterns of smoke in the sky. "We may be witnessing the rise of a talented young trainer! But will this mystery girl be able to pull out a win?"

Roy blinked in astonishment. He couldn't help but stare at the extent of the damage. "Return, Staraptor," he said at last, drawing the injured Pokemon into it's poke ball. "You fought a good fight," the rookie trainer said softly. He turned to Violet. "Impressive. Mind explaining how your Gyarados snapped out of confusion so fast?"

Violet grinned. "I knew Thrash would make Mr. Fin confused. I came prepared, that's all." She reached into her pack and pulled out a Persim berry. She tossed it in the air lightly and caught it.

"There were no restrictions, remember?" Violet reminded him as understanding dawned on Roy's face. She had given Mr. Fin the Persim berry when she ran onto the field. She smiled widely with the high of a well carried out plan. Buying that TM was a good idea, too.

"What will happen next? This heated battle is just beginning!" the news lady announced.

Violet took a deep breath. It didn't matter that everyone was watching. She focused on the battle, and everything else fell away.

"Return Mr. Fin!" she called, pulling the Gyarados back into his Master ball. "You deserve a rest. Now, it's your turn Indigo!" Her Lucario grinned and jumped onto the field. Aura crackled around his steel spiked paws as he settled into a fighting stance.

"This is far from over," Roy warned, reaching for an orange hued Poke ball at his waist. He tossed it into the air. "Go, Flayta!"

A cream colored mare appeared from the orange glow. She pawed the ground, looking up at the crowd through red hued eyes. Fire streamed around her pointed horn.

The spectators went wild. "Hold your horses folks," the news lady said, smiling at her pun. "This is the one and only Flayta Flare, the famous Rapidash that single-handedly defeated one of the Champions Dragonites, and nearly finished off another! How will this rookie handle this powerful Pokemon? Is the match already over? Stay tuned to find out!"

Violet frowned, only partly because of the news lady's assumptions. A type disadvantage. This could be bad.

"Never give up!" she said aloud to herself, shaking her head. Indigo could handle anything. She was about to give an order when she saw Roy swing his leg over the Rapidash. He leaned in close to the mares back, and whispered something in her ear. He straightened, riding without a saddle.

"You're kidding," Violet said, gaping. "You're going to ride? Is that even allowed?"

"There's no rule saying Trainers can't enter the field," Roy said with a shrug. "Most people are just too scared to put themselves in the line of attack. It's okay for them to order their Pokemon to sacrifice themselves, but putting themselves at risk?" He snorted. "I fight _with_ my Pokemon. Call it crazy or call it strategy, I don't care."

Several fan girls in the audience swooned.

Violet felt a grudging respect for her opponent. He was the real deal.

"Have it your way then. Indigo, Quick Attack!" she ordered. He responded in an instant, streaking towards the pair on the field. Flayta regarded him, unconcerned. Her confidence was real.

Roy said something in the Rapidash's ear. She bunched the muscles in her legs together and leaped powerfully, and effortlessly into the air, even with the added weight. Indigo passed harmlessly under them. He looked up with surprise.

Violets eyes widened. "Indigo, Dark Pulse, NOW!" She shouted, seeing the next attack coming. He pointed his arms straight up, and shadows shrieked towards the Fire type and her partner.

Roy smirked. The Dark Pulse hit the Rapidash's diamond tough hooves as Flayta used Bounce. She struck the Lucario with a direct hit, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Indigo!" Violet cried out. The Lucario stood slowly and Violet winced. Roy whispered something to his Rapidash again.

"Detect!" she ordered frantically, just as a Flamethrower ripped across the field. Indigo got the barrier up just in time, making the flames disperse. Before either of them could recover, the Rapidash danced closer, swinging her head to slash with her deadly sharp horn.

_I'm being overwhelmed!_ Violet though in astonishment. The Rapidash's speed was unreal. And she was carrying a rider! Not to mention she couldn't hear Roy's orders. How was she supposed to beat a combination like that?

She took a deep breath, stopping her panicked thoughts. She would just have to come up with something. Indigo was counting on her.

"Indigo!" Violet called out, inspiration hitting her. The Lucario glanced her way briefly, as he continued to dodge the slashing horn and sharp hooves of the Rapidash. "Get behind Flayta!" Indigo gave her a quick look before understanding filled his eyes. He danced to the side and behind, avoiding another attack.

_Please work, please work,_ Violet prayed. The Rapidash reared up her hind legs, preparing to deliver a crushing double kick.

_Yes!_

"Now, Dark Pulse!" she shouted. Indigo was already on it, purple and black energy darting around his paws. He fired at the Rapidash's front legs before the kick reached him. Flayta crashed to the ground, thrown off balance. Roy was thrown to the side. He landed hard on one shoulder.

"Now, before she recovers! Force Palm!"

Indigo darted forward, hitting the Rapidash with three consecutive Force Palms as she was scrambling to her feet. She tossed her head, casting glances at her trainer.

"I'm fine Flayta!" Roy called out, getting up. "Flamethrower!"

"Dodge, Indigo!" Violet countered. Flayta braced her front legs and fire spilled out of her mouth. Indigo dodged, but only barely. The Rapidash fired another attack, forcing Indigo to skit to the side.

Violet sucked in a sharp breath, as she noticed a pattern. "Indigo, she's trying to get back to her trainer! Keep them separate, no matter what!" If the Rapidash got back to Roy they would lose an advantage.

Roy smirked, not upset at being found out. "Have it your way. But keep in mind, my Rapidash will be much faster without a rider! Flayta, now use Flare Blitz!"

Violets mouth dropped open. Without her rider, Flayta was just a white blur trailing flames. Was that even _possible?_

"Violet," Indigo warned, standing in a wary battle stance. She understood. Concentrate. Right.

"Use Dark Pulse Indigo. Full power, please," she ordered. Flayta whinnied shrilly, tossing her head. Fire exploded from her horn, coating her body in protective flames. She charged forward, getting brighter and brighter until she rivaled the sun.

Indigo's eyes went dark, as though he was remembering something terrible. He didn't flinch away from the Flare Blitz. Instead, he widened his stance, and held his arms out in front of him. The dark energy keened shrilly, traveling down his arms. It exploded outward with incredible power just before the Rapidash hit, pulsing with it's own terrible heartbeat.

Night met day in the middle of the battlefield, both attacks clashing violently. The light glowed brighter and brighter until it blocked out every scrap of shadow. Indigo was sent flying backwards. He landed clumsily, his breath ragged. The Rapidash regarded him coolly, her head held proud.

Then, Flayta fell to the side, her red eyes closing.

"We….won," Violet said, her mind blank. Indigo had actually beat the Rapidash. It sunk in and she broke into a wide grin. Two down and one to go. For the first time, she really believed they could do this.

The crowd was roaring at the unexpected development, and the news lady was talking excitedly into the camera, straining to be heard over the noise. Roy looked at her with astonishment.

"Rapidash is unable to battle! This round goes to the challenger in the blue corner!" the referee announced, and the crowd went wild anew. Roy was shocked into silence until the crowd died down.

"Words can't describe how…shocked I am," he said at last, his voice the only noise in the square. Violet was silent, waiting with trepidation. Her eyes widened in surprise when he burst into laughter.

"I never….never once, expected you to get this far. I haven't had this much fun in a long time. So congratulations! But everything is over now," he finished, looking at a simple poke ball in his hand. He looked almost wistful, as though he had wanted to continue the battle longer.

Violet was taken aback. She hadn't lost a single Pokemon, while he had lost two. How could he laugh like that, and be so calm? Her brow furrowed. She was suddenly a little worried - a strange feeling after her victory high.

"Strike," Roy said simply, tossing the poke ball in the air. A whistling shriek filled the air, making Violet cover her ears. A Pokemon she had never seen before stood in the center of the field. It glared contemptuously at the mere humans around it.

She pulled out Daniels Pokedex. "_Species, Zebstrika,"_ it droned, "_This ill-tempered Pokemon has the ability to absorb and store electricity in its mane. Beware, this Pokemon is known to attack people and Pokemon, often without warning."_

Violet gulped at the ominous description. Strike the Zebstrika crackled with static as it stood proudly in center field.

"The Pokemon that stands before you is my starter," Roy said by way of explanation. "But I've had him for a lot longer than you'd expect. As you might know, I've lived in nearly every region during my life. What you might not know is that I was born in Unova. And what is unique about the training style of the Unova region?"

Violet was silent. She truly had no clue. Roy tsked at her ignorance.

"Unova is unique…because it doesn't have a set age for trainers to begin their journeys," Roy explained. Violets eyes widened as she realized the implications of this.

"That's right. Even preschoolers have Pokemon there. I started training Strike when I was three years old."

The crowd broke into murmurs, the excitement level rising. If what he said was true, his Zebstrika would be leveled up an incredible amount.

"If you've been training that long…why are you still considered a rookie?" Violet asked when she found her voice again. She could hear her heartbeat. This was bad.

"I only started badge collecting this year. That's what makes me a rookie." Roy laughed at the irony of it. Violet grimaced.

"Indigo, are you okay?" she said softly. He heard her and turned around. He was badly injured from the fire, and he was still breathing raggedly.

She saw his answer in his eyes.

She gritted her teeth.

"Never give up," she whispered softly, and looked up, fire in her eyes. She would fight till the last.

"Indigo, Dark Pulse!" she shouted. Indigo stood with determination. The battle began with a direct hit against the Zebstrika. It made another of its unnaturally shrill whinnies, and lightning shattered in a Thunderbolt, making its normally white mane glow marigold. Indigo was able to dodge to the side, going right into a Quick Attack. He hit the Zebstrika again, before darting backwards and out of range.

"Strike, use Wild Charge!" Roy ordered, and the Zebstrika charged forward, electricity dancing across its body. When it reached full speed, a boom of thunder rolled out like a shock wave, making Violet clap her hands over her ears.

"Detect!" Violet ordered, and Indigo hit his fists together, creating a shimmering bubble of protection. The Zebstrika hit hard. It kicked angrily at the bubble blocking its path.

"Another Dark Pulse! Keep away from it, Indigo!" Violet shouted desperately. The black Pokemon showed no signs of weakening, even after the recoil damage from Wild Charge.

Her Lucario danced, light on his feet, and another pulse of darkness shot out across the battlefield. The Zebstrika jumped over the wave easily, but Indigo was right in front of it, using another Quick Attack.

"Overheat, Strike," Roy ordered, almost emotionlessly. Violets eyes widened. She screamed out a warning, and then everything went silent.

The next thing she knew, the crowd was going wild, their cheers assaulting her ears. She stared forward disbelievingly.

_Indigo_.

"Send out your next Pokemon." Roy commanded. His voice didn't break through the wall surrounding her mind.

She reached for Indigo's rarely used Master ball, her fingers moving automatically. She recalled her fallen partner and friend to safety.

"Your next Pokemon?" Roy said again, and this time Violet heard him. She unclipped Mr. Fins Master ball and stared at it.

He wouldn't stand a chance normally. And he had a double weakness to electricity.

She tossed the Master ball into the air, and her Gyarados filled the field.

"You're using your injured Pokemon first? Why not use your third?" Roy said incredulously.

Violet was silent. She looked at the ground. Mr. Fin would lose. She knew that.

But she also knew he would never forgive her if she didn't even give him a chance.

"Fine, have it your way," Roy said, eyes glinting with anger at her sacrifice of her partner. "Strike, use Thunderbolt!"

Mr. Fin hissed angrily, snaking out of the way of the lightning attack. He used Dragon Rage, and just missed the nimble Zebstrika. The black Electric type fired three more consecutive Thunderbolts, missing the Gyarados by inches.

"Now, Shock Wave," Roy ordered.

Mr. Fin seemed to realize he couldn't dodge. So while the sparks started to charge around the Zebstrika's body, he struck, using Crunch on the unsuspecting Pokemon. He ground his powerful jaws together just as the Electric attack surged outward.

A tear trickled down Violets cheek.

Mr. Fin fell without so much as a roar. The Zebstrika landed gracefully and disdainfully. The crowd of spectators was silent for once.

"Your third Pokemon, Violet," Roy said softly, his voice full of regret. She noticed dully that he had used her name for the first time.

She had lost.

"I'm sorry, but-" she began, barely whispering.

"Why hello there beautiful," a voice said from just behind her. She whirled and saw Roy standing behind her. She looked from one Roy to the other, confused. She caught her breath suddenly, barely daring to hope.

"You look like you could use some help," Roy said with a grin, melting into a copy of her mid sentence. Violet broke into a wide, disbelieving smile.

"It depends. Are you offering?" Violet said, reaching into her pack. She held out an empty poke ball. A clear invitation.

"I don't see why not," her copy said, mirroring her grin. She reached out one delicate finger and pushed the center of the poke ball.

Violet felt energy running up her legs, and her excitement returned. She looked up with such an expression of daring that Roy blinked, surprised. She threw the Poke ball into the air as soon as it stopped wiggling.

The silent crowd exploded as the Ditto landed on the field.

The Ditto posed dramatically, already giggling at the attention.

"I don't believe this ladies and gentlemen, the rookie trainer is actually using a Pokemon she caught mid battle!" The news lady shouted over the crowd, "What an unexpected turn of events! It would seem that this girl is back in the game!"

Looking at Roy's astonished face, Violet decided it was all worth it, no matter the outcome.

"Alrighty Ditto, use Transform!" she ordered with a flourish. The grinning Ditto transformed into a perfect copy of the Zebstrika. With one difference.

"Pfff," Violet choked unexpectedly. She started laughing. No Zebstrika in the world would be wearing such a goofy expression.

The laughter was contagious. A few people in the crowd giggled, while the rest looked incredulous that she would dare mock Roy Stryker so blatantly. The grinning Zebstrika looked incredibly pleased with itself.

"A-alright Ditto, use Thunderbolt!" Violet ordered, unable to keep a smile off her face. She'd forgotten what it felt like to laugh like that. She'd really missed the troublemaking Ditto.

The Zebstrika fell serious, charging its lightning attack with a copy of the shrill, keening whinny. It attacked its copy furiously, with a dead on hit. The twin lightning types danced around the field, equally matched.

"I'll give you points for sheer originality," Roy said, shaking his head with a grin, "But no copy can beat my Strike! Now, use Overheat!"

"Ditto, use Wild Charge!" Violet shouted. Overheat would make his special attack fall dramatically. With such a weakened attack, Wild Charge should be able to get through.

She was right. Her Ditto struck the Zebstrika with a cry, almost knocking it off its feet. It winced at the recoil damage, but there was a light in its eyes. That Ditto was really enjoying itself.

Violet took out her Pokedex again, looking at the Zebstrika's move set. She bit her lip. It would be risky, but…

"Ditto, use Swagger!" she ordered, using the Zebstrika's final move. The Ditto raised one hoof and posed, looking self important. Violet giggled. That was _one_ way to use Swagger.

Strike recoiled, shaking it's head violently. When it looked up, its eyes were glazed over. Its attack would be raised, but confusion was a big advantage. Violet didn't intend to waste any time.

"Alright Ditto, use Thunderbolt! And then Overheat!" Violet said, stretching out her hand. Her copied Zebstrika fired a powerful lightning bolt from its mane, followed by a burst of red flames from its mouth. The twin attacks spiraled in a beautiful, deadly combo. They hit Strike dead on, engulfing him in the sparking flames.

"Yes! Good job Ditto!" Violet said with a grin. Her eyes widened when Strike walked out of the inferno, unharmed and angry. Just how strong _was_ that thing? Clearly electricity wasn't going to do any good.

"Ok, change of plan!" Violet said frantically. "Transform into a Golem!"

The Ditto looked at her in confusion, cocking its head to the side.

"You don't know what a Golem is?" Violet said incredulously. "Er, how about an Onix?" The Ditto blinked. Violet groaned.

"Transform into…" her eyes brightened. "Transform into me!" She shouted. The Ditto looked taken aback. So did everyone else.

The Ditto melted into a pile of goo, and Violets form started to appear. The Violet on the battle field grinned and blew a kiss to the audience.

"Here goes nothing!" Violet said, running forward. She caught her copies hand and whispered a quick plan in her ear. Then, remembering her last encounter with the Ditto, she grabbed its hands and the two spun in circles.

"So," one Violet said with a saucy grin.

"Which one-"

"-Is real?"

Roy started laughing. "You really are the weirdest girl I've ever met. But you won't fool me for long! Strike, attack them both!"

"Eh?" the Violets said in unison, surprised. They jumped apart as a Thunderbolt hit between them.

"Aren't you worried about hitting the real one?" One Violet called out.

"Not really," Roy said with a shrug. "Strike, use Wild Charge!"

"Hey!" Violet called out in annoyance. She glowered at Roy. It was time for the plan.

"Here goes!" the two Violets shouted, running side by side towards the Zebstrika.

"Strike, jump to the side," Roy ordered. The Zebstrika dodged the twin girls. One of them broke off to chase him while the other ran in front of Roy as a distraction.

"Nice try, but not good enough! Strike, use Thunderbolt on the girl in front of you! That's the fake one!" Roy shouted, clearly thinking it was a ploy. The Violet in front of him grinned. She ran forward and punched him in the face.

"That's for sicking your fan girls on me!" Violet said triumphantly, cracking her knuckles. Behind her, the other Violet melted into Indigo. The fake Lucario used, or tried to use, Aura Sphere. The attack exploded as always, filling the field with little wisps of white blue that spun crazily away.

The Zebstrika gave one final cry and fell to the ground. The Lucario danced in gleeful circles around its body.

If Violet thought the crowd was loud before, it was nothing compared to now.

"-winner! The rookie trainer is the winner!" the news woman was gasping, one hand over her ear, "We have just seen what has to be the most incredible match in Kanto history! Roy Stryker….has fallen!"

"Literally," Roy grimaced, rubbing his jaw. He looked up, respect in his eyes. "You won Violet. And it was one heck of a win!" The crowd went wild.

"Is there anything you want to say to the world?" The news woman said, thrusting a microphone under Violets nose. She took a deep breath and looked up directly into the camera.

"Yeah I do. My name is Violet Hikanashi! Remember it, because one day I'll be the Champion of Kanto!"

~o~

"-and then this little guy showed up and earned me the win!" Violet finished, practically glowing. Indigo couldn't help but laugh at her expression.

"From the rumors I've heard, you beat Roy using the three legendary birds, and knocked out his Pokemon with nothing but your pinky. Can you shoot lasers out of your eyes too?"

Violet laughed, "Nope, sorry. I really couldn't have done it without this Ditto here though. I owe everything to him. And…I kind of caught him, so he's going to be around for a while."

"Lovely," Indigo groaned, imagining what life would be like with the troublemaking Ditto around. "Any other bombshells for me?"

"Just one," Violet said, her eyes cautious. "Come on out…Avery." Indigos eyes widened in shock.

The small Ralts trilled a song-like note, bowing formally.

"You didn't."

"Afraid so," Violet said, looking guilty. "What else was I supposed to do? I couldn't just leave her…"

"Violet, she's an incredibly dangerous Pokemon wanted by the law. I understand you want to save her, but," he stopped, running out of words. He looked at Violet and sighed in defeat.

"You know she's been locked up for two years, right? Don't you think that would cause some mental trauma?"

"Of course not!" Violet said indignantly, "Avery is perfectly sane! Right, Avery?" The small Ralts covered her mouth with her hands and giggled.

"How reassuring," Indigo groaned, hitting his head with his palm.

"Did you say Avery?" a shocked female voice said from the bushes. The news lady stepped out, the cameraman right behind her. "As in, the killer Pokemon Avery?"

Violets face went white. "How do you know about that?"

"I was the reporter who covered Daniel Knights last battle," the news lady said incredulously. Her eyes widened. "You! I recognize your face now! Then that Ralts really is-"

"A present," Roy Stryker said, walking up to them. "She was present." Everyone turned to face the newcomer.

"What do you mean a present? Where would you get a Ralts?" The news lady said, arching an eyebrow.

"I got her from the Hoenn region," Roy said coldly. "I lived there for two years you know." The news lady shut her mouth with a snap. Roy continued. "Violet told me how upset she was about losing Avery. I gave her this little gal to help make up for it. She named her after the Pokemon she lost."

The news lady gaped. "I-I see. Yes, that makes sense. Then," she said holding out the microphone. "Is miss Violet here really your girlfriend after all?"

"No. But I hope she's a friend," Roy said. "With all my heart." Violets eyes were frozen wide at this point. She nodded.

"Definitely a friend," she swore, grinning at her new rival.

~o~

"_The mystery trainer, now known to be miss Hikanashi Violet, won in a stunning display of strategic ingenuity against this years top rookie, Roy Stryker. Friendship has apparently blossomed between the two, despite the relationship misunderstanding, which has even led to Roy giving miss Hikanashi a Ralts, which he caught in the Hoenn region. It goes without saying that Kanto will be watching this hot new trainer! Also, unrest within the Elite Four? Lance's reign has been challenged by none other than Koga, for the third time…"_

~o~

**A/N **Hey there, remember me? Haha it has been a while. There's actually a pretty good reason for that too. You see that chapter? That chapter is incredibly, and epically long. Its just not feasible for me to get something like that out in a week. That being said, its been much longer than that. I've actually been writing more of the past story, and ironing out details. I'm just going to write as fast as I can and not worry too much about the release date from now on.

I'll be getting into the past quite a bit more from now on. And frankly, Indigo's past contains a lot of violence. Thus this fics T rating. You have been warned!

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I personally think this chapter even beats the last one. Please review and tell me what you think!

Alright, K-tori out!


	12. The Nature of Time

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, and have no rights. Welcome to Fanfiction! ^.^**

~o~

"Vileplume! Use Stun Spore!" Erika ordered, her kimono waving gracefully as she flourished her hand.

"Mr. Fin, use Bite!" Violet retaliated quickly. Mr. Fin struck like a snake, grimacing a the taste of the vile plant Pokemon. He flung it at the ground, and it didn't move again.

"The winner is miss Hikanashi Violet!" the referee called, flapping his flag crazily.

"I admit it," Erika said, shaking her head. "I foolishly thought that I could beat your awesomeness. I admit that you are clearly the better trainer, and deserve to be crowned champion of the whole world."

The crowd gathered in the gym cheered loudly, and Violet turned to them, bowing and laughing.

"Thank you, thank you. Oh no ma'am, it's no problem if I kiss your baby. What was that sir? I would love to raise your Arceus for you…"

Roy held up a hand, stopping Violet where she was. "….and that's how it's going to happen?"

"Yup! Just like that!" Violet said with a grin. She fell back onto the grass in the park, staring up at the clouds. "Maybe there will be more bowing. Hmm, or maybe Mr. Fin will make her Pokemon faint just by looking at them, you know, because of how awesome he is." Roy's only answer was to burst out laughing. Violet stuck her tongue out at him indignantly, but she smiled too.

"I-I don't know. It _could_ happen," Piper said timidly, speaking up for the first time in a while. Violet and Roy both stared at him incredulously, and he visibly shrank. "Mr. Fin is pretty terrifying I mean," he amended with a squeak. Roy shrugged, giving him that.

"Well she's never going to beat the Gym leader if she can't get past that tree," Roy pointed out. "Which she has yet to do."

"Don't remind me!" Violet groaned. "That thing is clearly some kind of demon tree."

"-which any Pokemon that knows Cut can get past," Roy said dryly, "have I mentioned that Rattata and Bidoof can both learn Cut?" he shook his head. "If only your Pokemon were as strong as them, you would have no problem at all."

Violet growled and threw some grass at him. "I would be there already if you would lend me that Venosaur of yours."

"Cheating, Violet. That would be cheating."

"I prefer the term, 'strategy'. Aw, come on, please?" Violet asked pleadingly, but without much hope. They had had this conversation before.

"A real trainer has the skill to get past any obstacle in their path, no matter how large. That's what-"

"-separates the rookie from the elite. Yeah, I get it," Violet finished with a sigh. "But it's tough to be an elite without gym badges. How did you get past it anyways? Isn't your Venosaur pretty young?"

"I waited for someone else to cut it down and ran through before the gym trainers could plant another one," Roy said with a grin.

Violet gaped. "Cheating! THAT IS SO CHEATING! Piper, tell him that's cheating!"

"W-well I don't know…." Piper said lamely.

"Isn't that just strategy?" Indigo asked. He jumped down from a nearby tree and landed in front of Violet.

"Indigo! You're back!" Violet sang. She scrambled to her feet. "So how's it look?"

"Not good," Indigo said with a sigh, "So nothing new. You're still public enemy number one among a lot of the cities female population. They've decided that since Roy gave you a Pokemon you're still a threat."

Violet groaned. "I just can't win, can I? Avery will be alright now at least, but…"

"As long as we don't run into Sabrina again, your secret is safe," Indigo agreed. "Everyone will think this is a different Ralts from the one Daniel gave you two years ago. Problem solved."

"At the cost of my sanity. I can't wait to get out of this crazy town." Violet grumbled under her breath.

"Y-you could always-" Piper started, so quiet it was almost a whisper. No one heard him.

"I guess there's no help for it. Lets see if they sell HM's at this department store," Violet announced, oblivious to what Piper had been saying. She pulled her hat on over her hair, and donned her new jacket. With a pair of sunglasses her disguise was perfect.

"Alright Indigo, lead the way," Violet said with a flourish. She glanced at Piper, and smiled at him wryly. "See you later Piper. I'll help you train when I get back."

"S-sure."

"Hey, what about me?" Roy protested indignantly.

"With any luck I won't see you again today!" Violet stuck out her tongue, and Indigo chuckled at her maturity.

"Ouch, Vie. That hurt," the handsome rookie said in mock pain, one hand over his heart. "Actually, I'm going on a supply run to Johto. My Staraptor is fast, but it will still be a day or two until I can get back. Anything you need?"

"A cure for the fan girls?"

"I'll take that as a 'nothing' then. Catch ya later. Oh, and try not to get mauled while I'm gone!" he called after her. Violet shot him a withering look and saw him laughing as she turned out of sight.

"That guy is impossible," she muttered under her breath.

"The tough ones usually are," Indigo commented dryly, guiding her into an alley as two girls with ice cream cones passed. It was annoying having to go out of their way for teenage girls, but it was either that or certain death.

"Power complexes," Violet agreed absently. She looked around the corner, but was pulled sharply back by Indigo.

"The girl with the Tyranitar is talking to another girl on the sidewalk," Indigo explained. "She's one of the few who know you in your disguise. Also, we're boxed in." Violet and Indigo both looked up at the high stone walls of the buildings around them.

"Right, so we're stuck here for a while." Violet said with a sigh. She sat down on the stained concrete, careful to keep in the shadows. Indigo mirrored her, but his fluid movements were carelessly graceful, putting her human motions to shame. Even sitting, Indigo exuded strength.

Unaware of Violets thoughts, Indigo pressed his crimson eyes shut. The four appendages beneath his ears rose into the air, defying gravity. "I'll keep an eye on the outside. In the meantime, do you have a strategy in mind for this next gym leader?"

"Yeah, but…" Violet trailed off, biting her lip. Indigo raised his head slightly, but kept his eyes closed. Violet wondered belatedly what he saw when he looked at her with his Aura vision.

"Yes?" Indigo prompted.

"If we're going to be here for a while… well, I haven't heard what happened to you in the past in a while, and…" Violet trailed off, uncertain. Indigo surprised her by laughing.

"I'd be glad to tell you more," he replied easily. "Where did we leave off?"

"Mount Shishiro," Violet said promptly. She smiled a little ruefully. "You'd just gotten the Volcano fur and a new Pokemon."

Indigo chuckled. "I didn't know what I had at the time. You catch on fast. Alright then, I'll tell you more. Anytime you want."

~o~

"Pffffahahahaha," Riza choked, eyes dancing with mirth. She slapped her hands over her mouth, trying to stifle her giggles, but she couldn't contain the look in her eyes.

Indigo glowered at the girl. "I see nothing funny about this," he said frostily, looking away. He should have known she would react like this. Typical female.

"You…you have an _Ursaring_ named _Fluffy_," the golden haired girl gasped out. "An Ursaring! How is that not funny? Gah, it hurts to laugh!" She groaned amidst a fresh bout of laughter. She clutched her stomach and tears that had nothing to do with pain leaked out of her dancing eyes.

"You're going to hurt yourself," Indigo growled, an anxious undercurrent in his voice. Riza rolled her eyes at his concern, but she sat up with an effort, containing her laughing into the guise of a wide grin. The side of her mouth twitched just a little as she held in her giggles.

Indigo had gotten back to Halleden Castle last night. He had immediately climbed the two flights of stairs that led to Riza's makeshift hospital room and passed out on the floor from exhaustion. He had woken up the next morning with a splitting headache, and bruises covering his entire body. He was fiercely glad the Doctor hadn't seen him. He didn't think he could endure more of the mans half smiles and amused looks.

"So can I see it?" Riza asked, eyes lighting up like a child's. She was sitting in her massive bed, propped up by what must have been a dozen pillows. The black swirls on her arms had lightened, and the marks on her face had disappeared completely. A maid had come in sometime during the night to change the bloodstained covers for immaculate white sheets and an equally pristine blanket. It was as though the examination the night before hadn't happened at all, except for the dark stains on the floor beneath the bed.

"Fluffy?" Indio asked with confusion, his eyes going wide. He didn't want to imagine what the doctor would do if he released a giant 7 foot bear in his patients room.

"Her too. But no, I meant the glowy fur thingy!" Riza said with excitement, her spirits high despite the bandages around her ribs.

"Oh. This thing?" Indigo brought the red brown fur out from his pocket, where he'd jammed it the day before. It was still warm - almost _too_ warm. He grimaced at the ugly thing. "I'm sorry I couldn't get you that flower instead," he apologized, scratching the back of his head.

"Don't worry about it. Getting to hear a story like that makes up for it," Riza assured him. Her attention fell back to the fur. "It's so pretty!" she gushed when Indigo handed it over unceremoniously. Her eyes went wide as she stared at the fur. It started to burn red again, light dancing across her entranced face.

"So….pretty," she repeated, her voice hushed. The door slammed open, and Riza's head snapped up.

The Doctor stood in the doorway, his demeanor as black as pitch. Dark circles stood out under his eyes, but he didn't seem to notice. He saw Riza awake and turned his attention to her.

"I trust you are feeling well?" he inquired, recovering somewhat, but Indigo could sense no concern in his professional voice. Riza stared outright for a long moment, taking in the mans attire, and his intense demeanor.

"Y-yes. Yes. I'm doing very well, now," she began, lapsing into her 'princess mode', as Indigo called it, her voice cool and exuding authority. "I take it you are the doctor who treated me? Can I ask what happened to Dr. Ross?"

The man almost smiled. "Unfortunately, your castles physician passed away last week due to old age. I was under the impression you had been informed of this…?"

"No," Riza said, her brow furrowing slightly. "I was…unaware of that." She stopped, taking a breath. "I thank you for your exceptional services, doctor."

"You may call me Doctor Camellia, your highness," the man said with a sardonic smile, sweeping into a flawless bow. His charcoal eyes were faintly amused; a far cry from his icily focused gaze the night before. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some additional supplies to retrieve. I will be back momentarily."

"Of course," Riza said neutrally, inclining her head. The Doctor left the room, shutting the heavy door behind him firmly. Riza's careful mask fell away with a rush, and she stared at Indigo incredulously.

"Who was _that_?"

"Doctor Camellia?" Indigo answered, slightly confused. Hadn't she heard him?

"That's not what I mean. Where did my parents find such a hot doctor?" the golden haired girl said with frank honesty. Indigo choked.

"He's too old for you," he spluttered, irrationally annoyed. "Not to mention he's the creepiest person I've ever met. And he's too old for you."

The Princess laughed at his expression. "Oh calm down, I'm just stating a fact. He can't be more than, what, five years older than us? Maybe a bit more. And you think Woopers are creepy, so your opinion is invalid."

"They are creepy," Indigo said darkly, thinking of the pale Pokemons wide, unnatural smile. "But they're as cute as buttons compared to Dr. Soulsucker."

"You're exaggerating," the Princess said with a roll of her eyes. Indigo muttered something under his breath about her warped sense of scary things. Riza ignored him.

"So you found this in a tunnel _inside_ the mountain?" Riza said, changing the subject. She held up the mahogany fur, peering at it closer. "So the legend was true then?"

"What legend?" Indigo said, his brow furrowing. Riza stared at him like he'd grown a second head.

"Indigo…you mean to tell me you don't know what this is?" She said slowly, with a growing incredulity. He shook his head, wondering what she was talking about.

"The legend of Princess Mireal? You know, the one with the warring legendaries, the reincarnations left and right…"

"No one knows if she was a Princess," Indigo corrected absently. His eyes widened as he realized the implications of the story. "You mean that thing can control Entei?" He almost shouted, jumping out of his seat.

"Shhh!" Riza hushed him, looking at the door. "You honestly didn't get that? Why did you think you were being attacked by every living thing on the mountain?" she scolded him. Indigo looked at the fur with new eyes. He cautiously touched it, only to jump back at the heat. _He had stolen a tuft of Entei's fur. _

He had a bad feeling about this.

"We should ask someone who would know more," Riza mused, clearly deep in thought.

"Your parents? They might know something," Indigo suggested.

"No!" Riza said, going pale. "Er, no that's a bad idea. The Doctor?"

"Oh yeah, _there's_ a brilliant plan," Indigo muttered sarcastically. "Lets see if he's here. Hey, Doctor Soulsucker?!" he shouted mockingly. "Want a powerful weapon that could let you take over the world? Yoohoo!"

"Indigo," Riza hissed, glancing at the door. "Stop that! Besides, no one can control Entei except Mireal."

"You hear that? Doctor Soulsucker can't control Entei!" Indigo said loudly, his hands cupped around his mouth. Riza's face went pale as she stared at a point above his shoulder.

"You called?" a smooth, icy voice said from directly behind him. Indigo froze. When had he…

"D-doctor sou-Camellia!" Indigo stuttered, whirling around. The black haired doctor arched an eyebrow, expectant. "We were…er, just talking about you," he said, trailing off lamely. Riza hit her head with her palm.

"So I gather. Now what was that about Entei?" The Doctor saw the fur in Riza's hands and his eyes widened.

"Where did you get that?" he said softly, his voice dangerous. Indigo gulped.

"Do you know what it is?" Indigo evaded, forcing himself _not_ to take a step back.

"That, boy, is the Volcano fur. It is similar to the renowned Rainbow, and Silver wings, with one, major difference. Instead of calling a Legendary, the three furs strip away their reasoning abilities. They become nothing more than beasts bent on destruction," the Doctor said gravely. "It is nothing less than the most dangerous item in Halleden. And I repeat. _Where did you get it?_"

"E-er, I," Indigo stammered, cringing back from the full force of the Doctors burning eyes. "I just-"

"We found it in an old tower in the castle," Riza broke in. "No one had been up there in years…" Indigo breathed a mental sigh of relief. The fewer people who knew where the other furs were, the better. He would have to thank Riza later.

The Doctor paused. "I see. In that case I suggest you keep it well hidden…yes, very well hidden," he spoke the last words as though he was talking to himself. He looked up as Mayanna entered the room. She looked at him blankly, conveying words without sound. He sighed.

"You. Out now," he ordered, pointing at Indigo. He spoke before the boy could protest. "I have work to do. We've established the nature of her highnesses illness, but we still don't know what caused it. If we can figure that out we may be able to halt it's progression. You would only get in the way."

"….alright," Indigo admitted grudgingly, after a long pause. He shuddered slightly at the thought of the last 'examination'. He really wouldn't be able to stand it if she was bleeding in front of him again. Even if she wasn't in any pain.

He headed towards the door. He pulled the handle set in the thick, musty, wood until the door swung open. He took all of one step out and tripped over something small, green, and smelling of spring.

"Woah! Hello there," Indigo said ruefully, after he caught his balance. The small Pokemon grimaced and raised it's head from the stone it was sprawled on. It's eyes widened and it looked frantically behind, scrambling to its feet. Indigo looked too, at the sounds of heavy boots pounding down the halls. A group of soldiers rounded the corner, zeroing in on the Chikorita.

"Catch that thing!" One uniformed man yelled, startling Indigo. He met the Chikorita's eyes and leapt for it a second before it bolted. He hit the ground hard, but caught the small Grass type in his arms. It struggled furiously, biting and making some inane attempt to slap him with the leaf adorning its head. He grimaced and stood.

"Good catch," the soldier said, relief evident in his eyes. "We'll be taking it off your hands now."

"Why? Did it steal food or something?" Indigo asked, studying the squirming Pokemon. It didn't look thin, or even roughed up. In fact, it looked like a coddled pet. This was no wild Pokemon.

"Well no," the man said, clearly discomfited. "That Pokemon has been marked for execution. Kings orders."

~o~

Indigo stopped, angling his head towards the street. "The coast is clear. We can head out now." he started to stand, but Violet caught his paw. He recognized that stubborn look, even through the bright haze of her Aura.

"What?" he asked, not understanding her reaction.

Violet stared at him disbelievingly. "What do you mean what? You can't stop there!"

"Violet, we have all the time in the world."

"But…" Violet bit her lip. She squared her shoulders and looked up at him. "No. We don't."

Indigo started to speak, but she held up a hand, continuing. "You could be returned to the past any day now, and you know it too. You've gotten stronger, much stronger, and you're one of the kindest, most caring people I know. The curse could be broken today, and then I would always be wondering."

Indigo averted his Aura vision from her face. "You might not think so well of me when this story is done," he warned her softly, feeling a pang. Kind hearted Violet could never condone his actions.

But all the same. She had to know the truth.

"Very well then," he consented, not missing how her already bright Aura flared at his words. "I will continue."

~o~

"_What_?" Indigo said incredulously, his shock making his voice sharper than he intended. "But…why?" he continued, trying, and failing, to think of a reason for such harsh actions. "What did it do?"

"NO!" a thin voice wailed. A young boy with light brown hair broke through the regiment of blue clad soldiers. "Don't kill him!"

Tears ran down his face and his nose dripped, but Indigo recognized the young Prince. The Chikorita in Indigo's arms stopped its squirming and perked up, calling out happily.

"Your highness," the soldier said, sounding pained. The young boy stamped his foot angrily.

"NO! I-I order you not to kill him!" T\the young prince pronounced bravely, despite being half the mans size.

"You don't have the authority," the soldier began, before he was cut off by another bout of tears.

"What in Layla's name is going on here!" a new voice thundered. Indigo jumped and spun around, coming face to face with the King of Halleden. The soldiers behind him swept into formal bows, but the Prince stayed firmly upright, glaring with defiance at his father.

"You can't kill him! He's my friend!" the boy shouted, his cheeks red from tears and anger. His blue eyes shone with the threat of more crying and his bottom lip quivered tremulously.

"Your friend? Don't make me laugh!" the grey bearded man snorted. His features were so sharp they could have been cut out of stone, and his icy eyes were harsh to match. He gestured to the soldiers. "Kill it," he said simply, turning to walk away.

"NO!" the young prince wailed. Two soldiers caught his arms to restrain him as he struggled desperately. Another advanced on Indigo, and the Chikorita in his arms.

"Wait!" Indigo said, backing up. "What did it do? I mean, it can't be that bad, can it?" One soldier grabbed his shoulder while the other reached for the Chikorita. "Let go!" Indigo protested, struggling. The prince doubled over suddenly in a fit of wracking coughs, his entire frame shaking violently. The soldiers holding his arms let go in alarm, and the boy collapsed on the floor.

Blood dripped from his nose. The pale boy didn't even seem to be breathing.

"What's wrong with him?" Indigo asked, but no one answered. The uniformed men were pushed aside impatiently as Doctor Camellia strode through, as easily as if he were made of shadows. He held the boys chin up impatiently and felt his forehead. His skin was flushed and a sheen of sweat had appeared over the formerly healthy boys features. The Doctor reached around the princes neck and a moment later the boy collapsed heavily.

"Hey!" a soldier protested, catching the boy as he fell. The Doctor stood, waving him off.

"He'll wake up in a few minutes. And I expect he'll be feeling perfectly fine."

"How can you know that? He looked like he was dying a second ago!" the guard protested, and the Doctor turned on him angrily.

"The young prince is dying," he said bluntly. "And until you fools tell me the truth, I won't be able to help him." His words were not directed at the soldier, but rather at the stormy faced king standing behind Indigo. The air practically crackled with the Doctors half accusation until he turned, deliberately, to stare the powerful man in the eye.

"You don't know what you're talking about," the King said stonily. "I suggest you get back to curing my daughter." He turned as if to leave.

"Cursed." the Doctor said simply, venom and revulsion laced into the word. The King stopped short, and Doctor Camellia continued. "Your family is cursed, like so many were twenty years ago. By the White Nightmare, the Soul Seer, the Demon Fox. Your curse is special, however, isn't it? No, don't bother trying to deny it. This event has confirmed it. Now I suggest you stop lying…if you truly want my help that is."

The King opened his mouth and shut it again, glaring grimly at the black haired man. Finally, he spoke, although his tone was sharp enough to cut stone. "That _creature_ did curse me and my family. It should have been put to death long ago."

"The exact wording of the curse, if you would," the Doctor asked in way of a response, walking to stand a few paces in front of the King. Indigo stumbled to the side beneath the weight of their locked stares, the Chikorita held tightly in his arms. Getting between these two would be suicidal.

But the voice that answered the Doctor came from behind, as clear and sweet as a mountain spring, even when weighed down by the message she carried. "The fires of war must be killed, the death cut short before begun. Legends of old will fight the heir, the colors split from one. Natures kin will bring slow deaths, for your 'pride' and for your sons."

The Queens voice ended, the last note of her message hovering in the air. Indigo let out a breath he hadn't know he was holding.

"Pokemon," the Doctor said suddenly, breaking the spell. "Natures kin will bring death…your family curse is that being close to Pokemon will kill you. Literally. That explains the 'illness'. Preventing the fires of war must refer to the revolution twenty years ago. But what was all that about the colors? How do they fit into all this?"

"We don't know," the Queen said with a sigh. "We just don't know. There was a cure for the curse mentioned as well." Indigo jumped at the words, hope sparking in his chest. The Queens next words killed that hope brutally.

"The curse can only be cured by being cleansed by the fires of Entei," she finished, her voice barely above that of a whisper. All was silent as the implications of that sank in.

"Wait a second. Maybe that….well it could mean something else, right? Being burnt alive doesn't seem like a very realistic cure for a curse," Indigo reasoned, hope returning. There was no way death was the only option. And if Entei was the one who could cure the Princess, then…

"I've got it!" Indigo started excitedly, "I have-"

"That's enough from you," the Doctor snapped. "You don't know what you're talking about, boy."

"But…" he trailed off as he saw the Doctors half exasperated glare. Oh. Right. The fewer people who knew about the fur, the better. "….never mind," he finished lamely. Everyone looked at him until the Prince gasped, sitting up suddenly.

"Ah, your highness," the Doctor said, turning to the young boy. "How are you feeling?"

"I…" the Prince began, looking confused. He blanched when he noticed everyone's attention solely on him. "I'm fine, honestly."

His eyes widened as his memory returned and he scrambled to his feet. "Y-you can't!" he shouted, staring at the Chikorita that was sitting quietly in Indigo's arms.

"Terin," the King began warningly, but the young boy ignored him.

"He's my friend! I-I'll fight you!" he raised his fists awkwardly, but with determination evident in his eyes. The King looked weary.

"I could take care of it," Indigo heard himself suggesting. "Killing it for existing is a little harsh." Prince Terin stared at him with something akin to awe. The King glared at him coldly for a long moment, his eyes scrutinizing. Abruptly he turned to the side.

"Get that thing out of my sight," he said finally. He shot a final, disgusted look at the small Grass type before striding away. The tension drained out of the assembled soldiers, and the Queen put a hand on her sons shoulder. Indigo slumped, his energy draining away. What a terrifying man.

"There is nothing left to see here," Doctor Camellia said, a clear dismissal. He turned to walk back into Riza's sick room, waving a hand at Indigo. "Get that thing in a Poke ball and bring it inside. I need to measure the rate of deterioration based on time exposed to a Pokemon. As for the rest of you, I'm sure you have better things to do."

The soldiers looked at each other for a long moment. They snapped to attention, saluting the Queen, before marching down the hall.

"Have the Doctor take a look at you," the sunny haired Queen murmured to Terin. She kissed the top of his head before walking in the direction the King had gone. Indigo and the Prince were the only ones left in the hallway.

"You're really cool mister!" the Prince said with sparkling eyes. "You'll really take care of my Chikorita for me?"

"No problem," Indigo promised, grinning at the look of relief that spread over Terins' face. "Does he have a name?" he asked, kneeling down so he was at the Prince's level.

Terin nodded happily. "His name is Greenly!" he said, beaming. Indigo blanched.

"Er…Greenly?" he repeated, unsure if he had heard right.

"Uh huh! He's the best Chikorita in the whole wide world!" Prince Terin boasted joyfully. His face fell slightly. "But you'll have to take care of him until daddy says so."

Indigo put a hand on the young Prince's head. "Don't worry. The Doctor is going to fix it so you can be with your Greenly. And after that you can meet Riza's Pokemon!"

"Sissy has a Pokemon?" Terin said with awe, his mouth falling open. Indigo chuckled.

"She has five," he said conspiratorially, and Terin's eyes got even bigger.

"Hurry up," The Doctor called impatiently from the open doorway. "Unless you'd prefer to wait for nightfall. There's work to be done."

~o~

"I wish there was a better way to do this." Indigo looked at his Master ball disgustedly. He steeled himself and pushed the button in the middle. He disappeared into the purple sphere and Violet minimized it so it would fit in her pocket.

"Sorry," she apologized to the ball. She stashed it into her incognito black pack that she used when she was in disguise. Indigo was too recognizable, even when she was in disguise. She peered out from the stone wall of the alley, double checking that the coast was clear. She breathed a sigh of relief and escaped into the fresh air and sunshine.

"I really need a vacation," Violet muttered to herself, attracting a few stares from passerby. She pulled the brim of her hat lower to hide her face, hurrying past. She walked through the automatic doors of the Celadon Department Store quickly, her shoes muffled by the synthetic plastic floors.

"TM's and HM's, third floor," she read from the sign above the information desk. The corners of her mouth lifted in a wry smile as her face appeared on the display screen, on Pokemon News. It was a rerun. The picture had been taken by a reporter who had been hiding in a bush, just after Violet discovered him. Her mouth had fallen open in an 'O' of surprise, and her eyes were impossibly wide. Indigo was just behind her, his arms flaring with Aura on reflex.

She'd never seen someone run so fast in her life.

Violet held in her laughter at the memory, barely noticing when the screen changed to an urgent report. A camerawoman was standing near the ruins of a building, and dust hung thick in the air. Dark shapes seemed to flit about in blurred spaces, disappearing whenever the light shifted.

"_-the tower has-has fallen! Ladies and Gentlemen, this is a disaster of unprecedented scales! I've never seen such destruction in my life! What could have possibly caused-" _

The camera flickered and went black as the connection was lost. It was taken up again by two reporters sitting behind a desk, looking shaken.

"_Ladies and Gentlemen, the scene you just witnessed was recorded last evening, during what may have been the greatest disaster in Kanto since the eruption of Cinnabar island. Three trainers entered the Lavender town Radio Tower, to investigate reports of a hostile Ghost Pokemon. Shortly after, all connection to the tower was lost, and the normal stations were replaced with this clip."_

Here, the reporter placed a disk into the player. It was silent for a long moment before the sound of quiet breathing could just be made out. "_We made it in, but we…" _the female voice broke off. "_We're all going to die!" _she sobbed, her breathing hysterical, _"No one can beat this, no one can-" _Quiet laughter echoed hauntingly, so soft Violet could barely hear it. The voice gasped, and her voice was faster than normal when she continued. _"Listen to me, everyone, it's not what you think! Whatever you do, don't let it-" _There was a clattering noise, and sounds like a struggle was taking place. The girl screamed, for what seemed like forever.

When her scream finally fell silent, the laughter was back, just a little louder than before, a laugh full of quiet amusement and unspoken promises.

After a moment the tape restarted. _"We made it in, but we…we're all going to-"_

The reporter flipped the switch, stopping the tape. _"That evening, as soon as the sun set, some unknown force attacked the city. While teams are still determining the extent of the damage, there is very little of Lavender town left standing. According to reports, buildings were completely torn apart, by what appeared to be invisible Ghost Pokemon. Finally, the Tower itself collapsed, landing, thankfully, away from the city itself. The destruction of the tower seemed to signal the end of the attack, leaving the citizens of Lavender town to attempt to piece together their city. Nine casualties have been confirmed, with countless wounded being treated in the Pokemon Center."_

The screen changed to show a clip from the Center, filled with patients on stretchers and frantic pink haired nurses. Violet's violet eyes were frozen wide from shock. She couldn't seem to blink. A crowd had gathered around her while the report played, silent witnesses to the destruction, but she barely registered their presence. The Master ball in her pocket shook, a reaction similar to the crowd. Violet reacted instantly, covering the sphere with one hand until it slowed, then stopped.

Indigo didn't need to see this.

" _Among them were two of the three trainers who entered the Tower, whose bodies were found the next morning. Their wounds were superficial, and the cause of death has yet to be determined. The third trainer, a youth who goes by the name 'Karo', is still missing. Police have started investigation of the scene, but have yet to release details. Was this an attack from angry ghost Pokemon, or was there someone controlling them behind the scenes? Stay tuned as we give you live coverage of the event-"_

"Karo?" Violet hissed, shock lancing through her tone. Was he involved in the attack? _Could_ he have been involved?

Even as she thought it, every fiber of her being denied that it could be true. Karo might not be a good person, but he couldn't be capable of annihilating an entire city. What motivation could he possibly have to do something like that? It didn't make sense.

But what motivation could anyone have for destroying Lavender Town?

The screen flipped to show overhead shots of land that used to be a city. Violet tore her stinging eyes away, not wanting to see any more.

"Excuse me," she said softly, pushing through the crowd. They parted like water, their eyes not leaving the screen. Violet ran for the stairs, ducking into the dim space between the bright shopping mall and the stairwell. She took deep, shuddering breaths, trying to banish the horrific images from her mind. Voices echoed in her mind, of the trainer from the haunting tape, and the on scene reporters trying to cover the damage.

Nausea curled through her core and Violet pulled her knees up to her chest, lapsing back into her old habit. Unable to hold it in anymore, she cried hot tears that spilled down her face for the girl whose name she had not known, and all the inhabitants of the ghostly city.

~o~

Indigo cautiously probed the inner walls of the sphere with Aura. This time, there was no resistance.

With a flash of warm amethyst light and a slight sense of dizziness, Indigo broke into the real world. Stairs arched above and below, providing access to the upper and lower floors. Violet was sitting with her knees curled to her chest against a concrete support. No one else was nearby, which was probably why Violet had chosen this place.

Wordlessly, Indigo placed a paw on her shoulder. Violet let out a sob, pulling her knees in tighter.

"Lavender town…it was…and…and," she managed painfully, before Indigo cut her off.

"I heard," he said simply. Violet lifted her head, and just as he registered the tears on her face her arms were around him, pulling him into her embrace.

Indigo froze, unsure what to do with the sobbing girl. He gingerly wrapped his arms around her in return, careful not to make any sudden movements. He held her there for what seemed like hours before her shaking subsided and her breathing became less ragged.

As she went silent Indigo spoke, finally. "Did you know anyone from the town?"

"No," she said softly, "I didn't."

Indigo's brow furrowed in confusion. "Then why were you crying?" he asked, wanting to understand.

Violet blinked, taken off guard. Indigo couldn't help but notice how pretty her eyes were, bright from her tears. So like Riza's.

"People got hurt. A lot of people. And the entire town doesn't have anywhere to live now. Lavender town has always been a peaceful place, a home for departed Pokemon to rest. That just makes this attack more horrible, in the end," she explained, as though it was the only natural explanation.

"But they were strangers," Indigo persisted. "Except for Karo, there wasn't a single person involved that you knew. So why-"

"That doesn't matter!" Violet insisted, shaking her head. "Who cares if I knew them or not? People are in pain, and some even died! Of course I feel for them!"

Indigo drew back, surprised by her vehemence. How could she be so selfless? Crying over strangers, people she'd never even met, as though it was the end of the world. Try as he might, he couldn't understand.

But what if…what if he thought of them as though he had known them? They were still people, with hopes and dreams, the same as anyone. People who could feel pain, anger, betrayal…

Indigo's heart constricted ever so slightly, and his eyes tightened. For a single instant, he understood exactly what Violet meant when she said it didn't matter, he understood exactly how she could sob over the fate of injured strangers. In that instant, his paws started to tingle with golden light, ever so faintly.

With a start, he looked down, to see small bubbles of pure light floating from the ground around his feet, glowing just brighter than the air around them. Shock shot through his chest, and the light disappeared as suddenly as it had come, leaving behind the wistful smell of citrus blossoms.

His heartbeat pounded in his ears violently, and he stared incredulously at his paws. That light was similar to the glow that surrounded him when he had been sent to the future.

Had he come that close to leaving?

Violet looked questioningly at him, having missed the light. He held up one hand to stop her question, and closed his eyes, trying to recapture the feeling Violets words had sparked in him. It was several long moments later that he sighed in frustration. It was no good. Whatever he had felt was gone.

"Karo," he said finally, reluctantly changing the subject, "Do you think he could have done this?"

Violet answered almost immediately, as though she had already considered this. "I don't think so. He didn't strike me as the meaningless destruction kind of guy. He just wanted power. That's what made him so weak. But still…"

"I know what you mean," Indigo said with a sigh, "The fact that he disappeared, when the other two trainers died is suspicious. Maybe the attack was just angry Ghost Pokemon, or someone else entirely."

"I don't know. The police are looking into it, but I'm not sure there's anything to find. I just hope whatever it was doesn't strike again," Violet finished with a shudder. Indigo was silent. He hadn't considered that.

"Are you feeling better?" he said finally, standing up. Violet bit her lip, but nodded. She took his outstretched paw, and allowed him to pull her to a standing position. She met his crimson eyes and smiled softly to show that she was really alright.

"Look out!" a high pitched voice wailed, just before a dark shape came hurtling down the stairs, all leathery wings and snapping jaws. Indigo moved instinctively in front of Violet and was hit full in the chest by what looked like two warring Pokemon.

"Zweilous! Bad!" a sharp eyed girl with a blonde ponytail admonished, standing with her hands on her hips at the stair landing just above them. Her glasses glinted fiercely over a piercing green gaze.

The Zweilous ignored her grandly, each of its two heads trying to bite off the other. Indigo untangled himself from the heap hurriedly, avoiding the snapping fangs.

"If you don't behave then no dinner for you!" The blonde ordered, looking for all the world as though she were punishing small children instead of a bad tempered Dragon Pokemon. The Zweilous reluctantly stopped the battle against itself, but both heads kept up a steady growling. They threw wary glances at each other in between looking at the girl.

"I swear," the girl said with a sigh. "You two are hardly worth the trouble sometimes." In response to this one of the heads took the opportunity to bite the distracted head just under its neck, starting the war all over again.

"Return!" the blonde said with irritation, and the Zweilous disappeared into its Dusk ball, still gnawing at each other. The girl straightened with a sigh.

"Sorry about that. My Zweilous can be…anyways, are you hurt?"

Indigo straightened. "We're fine," he assured her, even as he checked to make sure if it was really true. Nothing seemed to be injured.

"You can talk?" the girl said, her mouth falling down into an 'O'. Before Indigo could reply she grinned. "That's so cool! My name is Allison, it's nice to meet you!"

"Indigo," the Lucario replied. He was glad she had taken it so well. He moved aside so Violet could be seen. "And this is-"

"Violet? _Hikanashi_ Violet?" Allison's eyes got wide behind her glasses. "Ohmygosh it's you! I should have known! Not many people have talking Lucario's after all…Hi! My name is Allison! Oh, well I guess I already told you that. Can I get your picture, or would that be weird?"

"Um," Violet stuttered, looking lost. "I guess, but why…?"

"I'm a profiler," the girl explained rapid fire. "I know everything about everyone, everyone important I mean. I use the data to improve my own technique. For example, Roy Stryker? I have his battle techniques _memorized_. Also, he has A positive blood, he's a Scorpio, and he has ticklish feet."

"Wow," Violet said, sounding impressed. Indigo snorted. This girl took knowledge to a point where it became creepy.

"It's nothing much," Allison said modestly. "I write down stuff, so I don't forget. And take pictures. Sorry, I'm talking too much, aren't I?"

"No, no," Violet assured her, although Indigo silently agreed. All the same, he found himself liking this new trainer. She was honest to a fault, and easy to read.

"Hey, are you….okay?" Allison asked suddenly, peering closer at Violets face for the first time. "You look a little pale."

"It's nothing, I just…well, I just heard the news about Lavender town," Violet explained, her eyes tightening ever so slightly at the memory. Allison didn't react to her words.

"Lavender town? Did something happen there?" she asked, her forehead scrunching over her wire rimmed glasses, perhaps distressed that something had happened that she didn't know about.

Violet told her. She managed to remain impartial for the most part, although there was something in her voice that gave away how it had affected her.

Allison's lips had turned down in a grimace by the end of Violets story. But she didn't seem surprised by the news. Instead, she examined Violets face, watching it closely.

"Forget it," she said when she was sure Violet had told her everything. The black haired girl looked up sharply in surprise at her words.

"I mean it. You're dwelling, and it's not good for you," Allison said severely. "You need a distraction, and it had better be good. What did you come to the Super mart for?"

"I-I came for an HM, but-" Violet stammered out, still in shock. Allison grabbed her hand.

"Third floor then." Violet started to protest, but the blonde cut her off. "Look, Violet, you can't do anything for those people. You need to move on for now, and if something like that happens when you're nearby, maybe you can do something about it. But this _doesn't concern you_."

Violet looked stunned. And yet the dullness in her eyes was already gone. Indigo smiled wryly, shaking his head slightly. This Allison girl was smarter than he had thought.

"She's right, Vie," Indigo confirmed, taking her other hand. "Forget about it for now."

"Of course I'm right," Allison scoffed, the sides of her mouth turning up in a smile. "Lets get that HM."

~o~

Unable to resist the attack on two fronts, Violet allowed herself to be led up the stairs to the third level, feeling more and more awake with every step. When they entered the shopping area, the bright lights and synthetic, air conditioned air, broke the spell completely. She took a deep breath, feeling more like herself again.

"Hello miss, is there anything I can help you with?" a saleslady with a bright smile inquired from behind the counter. Rows and rows of silver disks lined the area underneath the glass display case, with small tags indicating number in front of them. Off to the side, dull gold disks gleamed softly.

"Um, I'm looking for HM 01," Violet stammered just a second too late when Allison looked at her pointedly.

"Cut? I'm afraid we just sold our last copy," the saleslady apologized. "We'll be getting a new shipment a week from Saturday.

Violet resisted the urge to hit her head against the nearest wall. "Of course," she muttered under her breath.

"What was that, dear?"

"Thank you anyway. We'll check back." Violet said to the woman, who smiled apologetically and asked them to come again anytime.

"Tough luck," Allison acknowledged as they walked away.

"I call it karma, getting revenge for some horrible, unknown sin I must have committed without realizing," Violet muttered darkly.

"As if you could even do something that terrible," Indigo said with amusement. "…although your luck has been pretty awful lately," he admitted after a moment.

"Oh come on, it's not that bad," Allison said dubiously. "Just wait a week or so, and buy it then."

"I'm not sure I can survive another week in this place," Violet said with a sigh. "And I'm not even being overdramatic. Fan girls are a scary thing."

When Allison still looked unconvinced, Indigo broke in. "High heels, lighters, and flammable hair products. Also, a few kitchen knives."

"…yeah, you need to get out of here," Allison said, cringing slightly. "You need the gym badge I take it? Have you tried flying over to the gym?"

"No good," Violet said glumly. "There are bored gym trainers waiting around with Vine Whip if anyone tries. Looks like Cut really is the only way."

The blonde girl shrugged. "Sorry, but none of my Pokemon know Cut. Have you tried asking other trainers? There's gotta be a few who would be willing to lend a hand."

"Apparently, Roy asked the locals not to help me." Violet replied. "I think he's enjoying my pain a little too much."

"Wow. He must really like you if he gets that big of a kick out of making things difficult for you," Allison said, sounding surprised.

"I'd hate to see what he would do if he _didn't _like her then," Indigo said with a grin. He coughed a laugh when Violet threw him a withering look.

"I need to get going," Allison said, throwing a glance at her watch, "How about we meet tomorrow afternoon in the park? I can help you strategize."

"Sounds good. I'll probably be just finishing up training with Piper around then," Violet said, the side of her mouth quirking up. "Say, two-ish?"

"Kay!" Allison said with a grin. Her ponytail bobbed as she wove through shoppers, until she was out of sight.

Violet yawned all of a sudden, surprising herself. She realized belatedly that it was getting dark outside.

"Lets head back to the Pokemon Center," Indigo suggested, reading her like a book. "You've had a long day."

"Don't I get a bedtime story?" Violet teased, as they exited the mall, headed out into the evening breeze. It was chilled outside, the air stinging her nose slightly with the tang of autumn. The leaves she could see under the glow of the streetlamps were just beginning to change colors, hinting their sides with the promise of reds and yellows.

"You should really get some sleep," Indigo said, examining her face.

"Please?" Violet said while jutting out her lower lip, looking at her partner pleadingly. Indigo chuckled at her overdone puppy dog pout.

"Fine. But we stop as soon as you start to get tired. Something tells me you'll need to be at your best tomorrow," he conceded, his crimson eyes glancing at passerby to watch for danger. "Everything was quiet for about a week after the incident with the Chikorita, Greenly. That's when everything started to go horribly wrong."

~o~

"What do you mean a fifty-fifty chance?" Indigo hissed in outrage, glaring at the raven haired doctor. The man looked him levelly.

"I mean there's a very good chance she will die. This treatment will either cure her, or kill her. Due to the nature of the curse, it's impossible for me to determine which effect will take place." Indigo's eyes flashed, but the Doctor held up a hand to stop his words. "_However_, let me reiterate. If we don't do something quickly it will be too late. Doing nothing is a definite death sentence."

"Why?" Riza's voice cut in suddenly, clear, yet undeniably weary. Her sickness had suddenly taken a turn for the worse late the night before. Indigo clenched his teeth in frustration. The doctor should be helping, not hurting her worse.

"Why will this…medicine, be so dangerous?" the Princess said again, and Indigo's heart constricted as her brave face slipped for just a moment.

The Doctor seemed almost taken aback at the question. He raised an eyebrow before answering. "The trigger for the malfunctions of your chemical synthesizers is characterized by exposure to certain elements found in naturally occurring, mutated forms of deoxyribonucleic acid, which is similar to the compounds used in the composition of this liquid," he explained, holding up a syringe full of clear liquid. Indigo's mouth had fallen open sometime in the middle of the Doctors talk, but Riza was nodding.

"So to put it simply, Pokemon cause the curse to activate, and your medicine uses some kind of liquid that comes from a Pokemon? Like, a Grass types sap or something?" Riza asked, her brow furrowed. "But how would a derivative of the thing that activates the curse cure it? Seems a little backward…"

"It is. Your body is only receiving small amounts of DNA transmitted from skin to skin contact naturally, and you were injected with smaller portions of this medicine at the initial start of the illness, before we knew you were under the influence of a curse. A stronger, concentrated dose injected directly into your heart would overload the curses 'aura'. Or it would speed up the symptoms and kill you." The Doctor stopped and looked at Riza with reappraising eyes. "You actually understood. I'm impressed, your highness."

Riza blushed ever so slightly at the praise. "I've learned a bit. Anyways, this cure…do you think it will help?"

"I believe it to be the only option, considering your advanced symptoms. I never expected the progression to be so rapid once you were away from all sources of contagion," the Doctor mused thoughtfully. His eyes narrowed suddenly, as though a new thought had occurred to him. "You are away from it. Aren't you?"

"Yes, of course," Riza said firmly, her cheeks going pink. The Doctor's mouth clamped shut and his eyes went dark with anger.

"Mayanna. Find them," he ordered, fixing his gaze on the Princess. The chestnut haired woman melted from the shadows, her eyes empty. She began rifling through the drawers in the room, searching in every nook and cranny.

"Wait!" Riza protested, sitting up in bed. "You can't just…"

"Here, my lord," Mayanna said flatly, unearthing five Poke balls from behind the curtains. Riza went white as the raven haired man turned on her.

"You could have killed yourself," the Doctor said quietly, emphasizing every word. He held up a hand to cut off her protests. "No, highness, what you did was stupid. Idiotic. You could have undone all my work in a single night, and for what? So you could see your beloved Pokemon? So you could reassure them that you were alright?"

"I just…" Riza began, tears forming at the corners of her violet eyes.

"You just, what?" The Doctor asked, his voice deceptively calm. Riza bit her lip and looked down. Doctor Camellia let out a breath, allowing his eyes to slip closed.

"Mayanna. Bring them to the lab. The Princess is not to be trusted. They will remain there until this is over as punishment. Do you understand?"

"Of course, sir," the woman said with a nod. She turned away, the poke balls cradled in her arms.

"NO! You can't!" Riza shouted angrily, struggling to get out of bed. Indigo put a hand on her shoulder as a restraint, but she shook it off. Doctor Camellia looked her straight in the eyes.

"Yes highness. I can. We operate tomorrow." With that, he swept out of the room, his lab clock trailing behind him.

The sudden silence in the room was heavy. Tears streamed down the golden haired princesses shadowed eyes, but her mouth was pressed into a firm line.

"Listen, Princess, I-" Indigo began, but he was cut off.

"I don't want to hear it! Yeah, it was stupid, but how could you expect me to ignore my Pokemon, especially when they were already so worried?!"

"No, I-"

"What, just because I'm _cursed," _Riza practically spat the word "-because of something that happened when I was a baby, I can never see my friends again? That's not fair!"

"Riza!" Indigo said, using her name to get her attention. The furious girl turned on him.

"What?"

"I was going to say I thought you were brave," Indigo said with a grin. "It takes some serious guts to stand up to Doctor Soul sucker. And you didn't just do that. You blatantly disobeyed him. Was it stupid? Absolutely. But I understand why you did it."

Riza bit her lip. "…you really think so?" she said carefully.

Indigo nodded, with an honest grin on his face.

"Then come with me," the golden haired girl said, sitting up straighter. Her violet eyes were alight with a fire he couldn't understand.

"Come with you where?" Indigo asked, completely oblivious.

Riza took a deep breath. "To the lab. _His _lab. Lets find out once and for all what he does there. We can even find out what's in this mystery cure! And more than that…" Riza trailed off. "I don't…trust him. My Pokemon might be in danger. We know that Doctor Camellia is using Pokemon for this cure somehow. You should have seen Miko last night. I've never seen her so upset."

"You're on your…sickbed. Of course your Pokemon was upset!" Indio protested, his mind blank at her proposed plan. But Riza was already shaking her head.

"More than the others! I wouldn't think anything of it if it weren't her!" Riza said emphatically. "Indigo, Espeon can see the future. Whatever Miko saw, it scared her so much that she shook the _entire night_. I have to go see for myself what this Doctor is. Because he is not what he claims to be."

"Riza," Indigo began, pained. "You trusted Doctor Camellia when you first met him. I might not like him, but I'm not the one accusing him of…of -"

"Evil?" Riza finished with a raised eyebrow.

"Of illegal experiments!" Indigo snapped, "And you've decided that he's not a good person, just because your _Espeon was scared_? Maybe she was scared of the thunderstorm!"

"If Miko was scared of lightning she wouldn't have been able to train with Sparks in the first place. Something's wrong here, Indigo, I can just feel it! Why can't you just _trust me_?" Riza shouted, her voice rising on her last words. The room rang with silence. Indigo stood abruptly.

"I'm not going. And neither are you, Princess. You're fevered and not thinking straight. And if I have to tell Doctor Camellia what your plans are to stop you, I will," Indigo said finally. Riza's eyes tightened with betrayal. Indigo stood firm, his cold eyes uncompromising. If Riza went to the Doctors lab she would be exposed to the curse. She could die; especially since she was already in such bad condition.

He wouldn't risk her life. Not even if it meant losing her trust.

"Fine then," Riza said in a small voice. "_Fine._ I guess I'll just have to hope this doctor doesn't tear my friends to shreds. Because apparently they're the only friends I have left."

"Promise you won't go," Indigo replied, ignoring the ache her words left in his heart. Riza looked down at her hands.

"I promise."

~o~

"Avery, use Magical Leaf!" Violet ordered. The small Pokemon raised its hands above its green, bobbed head, summoning shimmering leaves that alternated between blue, red, and purple. The leaves shot towards the Pichu, deceptively fragile looking.

"Ramen, use Double Team," Piper spoke up, his brow furrowed in concentration. His small, yellow Pokemon shifted and multiplied, until the field was surrounded with Pichu's. Magical Leaf zeroed in on the real one with no hesitation, and struck, sending it flying back.

"Magical Leaf doesn't miss," Violet said with a wry grin. "Try attacking instead next time. Do some damage if you know you're going to take it."

"A-alright," Piper said. "Ramen, try a Thunder shock!"

"Avery, use Teleport to dodge!" Violet countered. The baby Pokemon trilled a mournful note and disappeared with a dark flash, only to reappear behind Ramen the Pichu. She grinned and raised her arms without Violets order, her outline shimmering black. Ramen was flung in the air with a cry as it was hit by Avery's Psychic.

"Avery! Stop that!" Violet shouted. Reluctantly, the Ralts dropped the small yellow Pokemon, the black outline disappearing. Violet put her hands on her hips. "What's with you today?" she said with a sigh. Ramen appeared to be out cold.

"Lets take a break for today," Violet called out to Piper. He nodded, returning his Pichu to its Poke ball.

Violet approached her Ralts, and knelt so she was nearer her level. The small Pokemon looked up at her regardless, as though trying to read her mind.

"Avery," Violet said softly, watching the Ralts react to her name. "Avery, this is just training. We're not trying to hurt Ramen, we're trying to help you both get stronger."

The Ralts tilted her head, trilling out a questioning note that lingered in the air.

"That's right. No hurting," Violet responded, interpreting her Pokemon's body language. "Just listen to me, and I'll help you do the right thing. No matter what," she promised.

Avery let out another note, a bit higher this time.

"She wants to know what right means," Indigo called out from the side. "Good luck with that one."

"Right is….right is doing good things, that make people happy, and not sad," Violet said, struggling to explain correctly. "Wrong is something that hurts people, or makes things worse for them."

Avery looked down as she processed this. After a moment she looked back at Violet, although her green fringe hid her eyes from view. Suddenly her form shimmered black once again, and the image of two boys in a fistfight swam in front of Violets eyes.

"Wrong," Violet answered her Pokemon's query. She wondered where Avery had seen something like that.

The small Pokemon brought a hand to her mouth as she thought. Her outline flickered again, and Violet saw a young boy stealing a sucker from his baby sister.

"That's wrong too," Violet said, frowning now. Avery was still for a moment. She reached out and touched Violets leg with a slender white arm before she shimmered black again.

Fire raced through Violets head as the telepathic image hit. Sabrina's shriek rang in the background as images flipped one after another, Echo's eyes as she battled the Alakazam, Sabrina raising the hallway of Psychic energy, Daniels bloodstained form as he touched her hair…

"Wrong!" Violet gasped out, "Definitely wrong!" Dizziness curled through her mind as Avery broke the connection, her mouth scrunched up.

"Try showing her something good," Indigo suggested. Violet bit her lip as she considered this. She dug into her pocket and pulled out a piece of candy.

"Here Avery, try this," she said, holding it out. The Ralts regarded the colorful wrapper for a moment before using a black Psychic to crush the candy to the size of a wrinkled marble. She beamed happily.

"No, you're supposed to eat it!" Violet said, exasperated. She took another candy from her pocket and unwrapped it carefully, letting Avery see what she was doing. She removed the chocolate sphere and bit it in half, chewing slowly.

"Now you try," she said, holding out the rest of the chocolate like a peace offering. Avery took the brown sweet cautiously, nibbling on just the end. She perked up, looking at the chocolate in surprise, before taking a larger bite gleefully.

"See? Chocolate is good," Violet said with a grin. Avery sang a series of three notes and spun in a circle.

"She says that chocolate is right, and no chocolate is wrong," Indigo translated with a muffled laugh.

"Well, it's a start," Violet said, standing up.

"Violet, someone is…" Piper spoke up, looking in the distance. A familiar blonde girl was making her way across the park, carrying a large pack.

"That's Allison. Don't worry, she's a friend," Violet assured him. "She's going to help me figure out what to do about that tree."

Allison waved wildly as she came up to the two trainers. "Violet!" She said, gasping for breath. Her eyes were fever bright and she was grinning. "I think I solved your problem!"

"Really? You mean it?" Violet said, lighting up. The blonde girl nodded, her pony tail bobbing furiously.

"You see, I was thinking, if you can't just borrow someone else's Pokemon, why not just _copy_ one?" Allison explained. "I mean, you have a Ditto, right? All you have to do is get it to transform!"

Violet deflated. "Its tough to find a trainer who uses Cut in battle. And if I just ask them to show me, then they refuse. I blame Roy for everything."

Allison grinned and pulled a miniature DVD player out from her pack. She hit the play button, and a clip of an Ivysaur using Cut on a tree identical to the one blocking the path to Erika's gym played. Once the clip was done, it restarted.

"I'll bet your Ditto can copy that. Admit it, I'm a genius," Allison said with a smirk.

Violets mouth fell open. "Allison, you _are _a genius! With this I'll finally be able to challenge Erika!"

"Today we'll make sure your Ditto gets this down, and I'll help you train. Tomorrow, you get Erika's Rainbow badge!" Allison said triumphantly, the light shining off her glasses.

~o~

**A/N** Hiya there! This is half of chapter twelve, which I split to avoid another 25 pager. On the upside, that means the whole next chapter is already written, so I'll post that in one weeks time. Next Wednesday it'll be up. I ended up cutting most of the coolest bits into the next chapter, which will be about this size. So that's something else to look forward to.

Anyways, you guys are the coolest readers/fans in the world, and I'm sorry for being so lazy. XD Reviews would be nice, and feedback even more so! Thanks again, and happy reading!


	13. To See a Ghost

**DISCLAIMER:** **I don't own Pokemon, and all that, ect. I do own a fabulously hyper hamster with red eyes though. **

~o~

Indigo stared at the empty hospital room incredulously. Before his mind had even registered what had happened, he was running down the hall.

"Idiot, idiot, idiot! Of course she's gone!" Indigo growled, berating himself. How could he have been so…

"Stupid!" he shouted aloud, skidding around a corner. He hit something hard, a person who had been walking down the hall, knocking all the breath from his lungs.

"Oof…sorry about that," Indigo gasped, trying to catch his breath. He looked up and saw a delicately arched eyebrow hovering over one onyx eye.

"Doctor sou-Camellia!" Indigo stuttered, springing back. "I was just…er, that is to say…"

"Going for a walk?" the raven haired man suggested, moving out of the way. "It's a little late for that."

"That's me, the night walker," Indigo said. "Haha, it's so, er, pretty outside," he finished lamely, mentally cringing.

"Indeed," the doctor mused, thoughtfully almost. "Do you spend a lot of time in the dark?"

"Oh, sometimes. I mean it's dark at night. Er, and it's nighttime at least once a day, and…" he trailed off, making a mental note to keep his mouth shut.

"Very observant of you," the man said dryly. "I'm going to be away for the next day or two. Her Highness seems to be recovering remarkably well, but be sure to keep her out of trouble."

"Right. Out of trouble. I'll do that," Indigo said, inching around the Doctor. "I just saw her, and she said she was going to sleep. Gotta get her rest and all. Bye!"

"Nightwalker," Doctor Camellia mused after Indigo was out of sight. "So ironic that someone should use that name again, especially now. Now if only Layla were here, the party would be complete."

Indigo didn't realize he'd been holding his breath until he exhaled in a rush after the doctor didn't call after him.

The Princess has gone through her 'operation' the day after their fight. She was put under some kind of anesthesia just after she swallowed three pills, each a varying shade of black. When Indigo asked what was in them, the Doctor just smiled and said it was the same thing he would be injecting her with.

Something in his eyes made Indigo sure he didn't want to know.

"The pills are coated with a dissolvable material that will erode roughly three minutes apart," the man had explained, while pulling on a pair of sterile gloves. "The medicine is extremely fast acting, so it will enter her system around the same time I inject the stronger dosage into her bloodstream. Attacking on two fronts if you will. The curse isn't as potent in the Princess, because it was passed on from her parents. That means this has an actual chance of success. It is the only thing that could save her life now."

"What do I have to do?" Indigo said grimly, swallowing a little against his nausea. Mayanna was silent as ever, watching them without expression.

"Two things," the doctor said, holding up two pale fingers. "First, you will keep track of how fast her heartbeat gets. If it's fast, it's good. That means her body is trying to fight. If it slows down, the curse is killing her. That will mean we failed." He lowered one finger. "Second…you will restrain her if she starts to resist."

"My lord," Mayanna intoned softly, gesturing to the girl. Her forehead had scrunched up, and she grimaced in her sleep.

"The first pill has started to release," the doctor said grimly. "We must act quickly. Mayanna, the right arm if you please. Boy, take her heartbeat at her neck."

Indigo half stumbled into position, as Mayanna and Doctor Camellia took their places at the Princesses arms fluidly. He pressed two fingers to the side of her white neck, feeling the fluttering pulse of life. Her heartbeat was normal for a moment, and slowly started to speed up.

"Three…two…one!" The Doctor counted, inserting a needle into the crease of her left elbow at the same moment Mayanna did the right. The liquid in the two vials slowly started to decrease, until they were completely empty.

"Ah!" Riza moaned softly, her eyelids fluttering. Sweat beaded across her brow and her lips pursed together. All the blood drained from her face, leaving her as pale as a ghost.

"Her heartbeat is going up," Indigo reported, anxiously watching the girls face. "Can she feel that?"

"The anesthesia can't hide pain from a curse it would appear," the doctor said, never taking his eyes away from the next needle he was preparing. "Mayanna, the scalpel."

Indigo stopped. "You mean…she'll be able to feel everything? We have to stop the operation, she'll-"

"Move!" the raven haired man said sharply, pushing him to the side. He cut a thin line just below the Princesses shoulder with the scalpel, which went instantly red with blood.

"What is-"

"An outlet. The curse is carried through her bloodstream. So when the elixir starts to overload the curse with concentrated doses of Pokemon DNA, it will have somewhere to escape to." His dark eyes never left his patient while he explained. He cut a similar mark on her other arm, and deftly rolled up the hem of her pants to cut again, just above her knees. Something dark and indefinable gathered at the edges of the wounds.

Indigo started suddenly, his eyes widening. "Her heart is slowing down! It's lower than it was when we started!"

"We have to keep her stable until the next pill releases," Doctor Camellia said grimly. "Mayanna, prepare the next injection. We'll have to use it now. No time to let her get used to each dose."

"My lord!" the brunette girl said with surprise, the first emotion Indigo had ever seen on her face. "The change will happen too quickly, it could prove fatal-"

"Do it. If she gains extra abilities we can temper them. Forget the plan for now, lets focus on keeping her alive."

Mayanna looked down, her chocolate eyes unsure. "Very well then. Her wrists next," she said, handing the Doctor another needle, keeping one for herself. "Three, two, one…"

"AHHHH!" Riza shrieked, her eyes flying open. Her entire eye was black, from side to side. The dark swirling patterns from before arched across her from, just beneath her skin, like a living tattoo. Indigo flinched when the black passed through the skin of her neck under his fingers. He forced himself to keep still, counting aloud to focus.

"One…two…three…four, five, six! Her heart rate is going up again!" Indigo said with relief. Mayanna looked up at him with a funny look in her eyes.

"We're not done yet," the man said, studying her skin. The black swirls pulsed suddenly, and the movement sped up to double the speed, growing and constricting all over her visible skin.

"The second pill just entered her bloodstream. The curse will really start to take hold now. Now, Mayanna, wipe the area around each of the incisions with the elixir," the Doctor ordered. "We'll draw some of it out."

The chestnut haired girl complied, covering a small white cloth with some of the clear liquid. She drew the cloth across the cuts, coating the skin with a clear layer. Deep black steam escaped from the incisions with a hiss, attaching itself to the liquid. Wherever it touched, the steam fizzed out, leaving behind a smell like burnt hair.

"It's working. That proves that it is possible to overload the curse," the Doctor said with a feral grin. "Now we wait for the third pill to release."

"Eternal red winds of ice," the Princess whispered, her black eyes wide open. "Close the gate, and walk with fear into the sunshine. Curse the metal workings you cannot fathom."

"What is she saying?" Indigo asked, wincing when the girls black eyes flickered over at the sound of his voice.

"Nothing and everything. Her mind is not her own," the Doctor said, cursing under his breath. "Hold her down."

"Why, what will she-" Indigo started, before the girl jerked, as though her heartbeat had been strong enough to move her chest. She lashed out with one black swirled arm, catching Mayanna across the face. The brunette stumbled back, and Doctor Camellia moved to take her place, holding down the Princess's arms.

"The colors of betrayal, the monster serpent who adorns himself with the blue black diamonds of hate!" The Princess cried out, struggling fiercely against Indigo and the Doctor. "Kill the ancient eyes who scoff at the world through crimson lenses! The darkness engulfs the one who seeks power, turning him to a ghost himself!"

"Hold her down! Just a few more moments!" the Doctor said through gritted teeth, struggling to hold down the thrashing girl. Objects began quivering on the tray, scalpels and vials rose into the air on their own. The curtains flared as though they had been hit by an invisible wind, and Indigo's hair whipped around wildly. Then, the Princess herself started to lift off the bed, inches at a time, as though she were being pulled up by a rope attached to her chest, despite both Indigo and the Doctor holding her down. Her flat black eyes flipped from face to face nervously.

"Angrily he will turn, but will only see his own face reflected in the pool of time. Can an injured soul learn to fly?" Riza said hopelessly. Her entire body stiffened, and she let out a harsh cry, making the objects around the room fly through the air wildly. Indigo ducked to avoid a shoe.

The possessed blond girl screamed out loud, piercing and awful, and the black tattoos converged on her eyes, whipped to a frenzy. Steam escaped from the cuts below her shoulder in a constant rush, dissipating when it hit the air, but the black markings stayed, if anything, getting stronger.

"Move!" Mayanna called out, brandishing a long needle. She thrust it into directly into the girls heart with both hands, the blow echoing through her ribcage.

Riza's blackened eyes went wide for a long moment, and her lips opened with a silent cry. She hit the bed and her eyes slipped close, at the same time the flying objects fell to the ground. The black steam that was the curse slowed, and then stopped. The only sound in the room was Indigo's gasping breaths. The Doctor stood up and pressed two fingers into the side of the pale girls neck.

"She is stable," he said finally, and Indigo let out a sigh of relief. "We succeeded. The Princess will have to be dosed once a week to keep the curse weakened. But she will live."

Indigo fell to his knees, breathing heavily. His body felt heavy and lethargic, like all the energy had been sucked out of him.

But the Princess was going to be okay.

"I'm just glad this is finally over," Indigo said wearily, "A happily ever after." Mayanna put a hand on his shoulder, but when Indigo looked into her empty brown eyes, he could see no hint of concern. Her braid fell to the side as she stood.

"Happily ever after…I think you'll learn that there's more to any story than just that," the Doctor had said, so softly Indigo wasn't sure if he had really heard it. "Nothing ever ends just like that."

He had been right. Riza was gone, and the story wasn't over yet.

"Riza, you idiot," Indigo muttered under his breath as he ran, remembering how bad she had looked that day. "You just got better, and now you're already looking for trouble."

Riza wanted to go to Doctor Camellia's lab.

Indigo would find her.

She had heard where the Doctors lab was once, by accident. The man had thought she was asleep, and was talking to Mayanna. Riza said she hadn't understood half of what they said, but the location of the lab had been mentioned. It was in between Karraket and the Castle, a walk Indigo had made many times before while he trained with Riza.

"Take a left at the white that once was alive after following the cry of death, and go down the path that isn't there. What kind of instructions are those?" Indigo muttered, as he came to the edge of the forest that led to Karraket. The trees were black with the coming of night, thick sentinels that forbade entry. He gulped before shaking his head fiercely. They were just trees. Nothing to worry about.

First, the cry of death.

Indigo closed his eyes and listened, taking in the slightest noise. Whatever the cry of death was, it would have to be audible for someone to follow it.

"Kiree, kiree," a Bug Pokemon sang, it's feeble song piercing the dark. No.

The wind whispered through the long grass, hissing with words that were almost there, winding and treacherous. A Hoothoot called, its voice layered with the unknown secrets of the night. The faint sound of thunder, echoing from the distant mountains. No, no, no.

"Murkrow! Krowkrowkrow!" A nasally, taunting voice called out faintly, from deep within the forest. Indigo's eyes snapped open and he grinned. The call of death indeed.

Waiting for a moment until the Murkrow called again, Indigo took his first step into the forest. Twigs and matted leaves crunched under his feet, and he had to squint to see in the near darkness. The light was swallowed up completely by his third step.

"Murkrow, krow!" the voice called again, seeming to mock him from the forests heart. Indigo gritted his teeth, ignoring the sensation prickling on the back of his neck, like he was being watched. The forest was getting to him.

He thought of Riza instead, the way her golden hair fell down to the middle of her back, how her nose scrunched up when she smiled. And her eyes. Violet and deep, as beautiful as the sky at dusk. No one else in the world had her eyes.

Indigo tripped over a branch.

He pulled himself to his feet, muttering the whole time. This whole forest was out to get him.

"Murkrow!" the voice said triumphantly, so near to him that Indigo jumped. He looked up into the eyes of the imperious black crow, sitting on a wide, twiggy nest built high into an oak tree.

The tree was bleached white, like it had been struck by lightning.

"White that was once alive!" Indigo said aloud, realization hitting him. He looked with consternation at the Murkrow, who was still staring down at him.

"Take a left," Indigo said under his breath, turning to face the other direction. The ground softened ahead of him, forming a thin trail that was probably used by Stantler. He stepped down the path, ignoring the sudden, raucous laughter of the Murkrow.

"Then take the trail that isn't there," Indigo repeated to himself, his forehead scrunching together as he thought. What could that mean? A trail that wasn't there…was that even possible?

Why couldn't the doctor give instructions like a normal person anyways?

A form moved in the corners of his eyes. Indigo stiffened, forcing himself to keep walking. Quiet laughter tittered around him, familiar, yet not human.

More shapes started to join the first, fading in and out of existence as though it were nothing. Wisps of gas, purple shadows, and red eyes curved up in laughter danced at the peripherals of his vision, but Indigo kept walking.

"Misdreavus," one feminine voice called, in a voice that might have been beautiful if it wasn't twisted with cruel amusement. "Mis Mis."

"Ghastly," another voice agreed, and then a third. "Haunter, Haunt,"

"Leave me alone," Indigo said under his breath through gritted teeth, evoking another bout of laughter from the ghosts. One purple shape darted up and nipped his arm, drawing blood.

Indigo struck at the ghost sharply, but it faded away with a tittering laugh. Another ghost scratched at his other side. Indigo whirled, but the shapes were already melting away. Suddenly a ghost was right in front of his face, clothed in night, and wearing a string of red beads that glowed and shifted like pain.

"Mis," the ghost said menacingly. Indigo ducked around it and ran flat out into the black forest blindly. He gasped in air, and branches scratched his arms and face. The shapes kept up with him, laughing louder now, and Indigo tried in vain to focus on the pitch black path beneath his feet. His foot caught on a jutting rock, and he hit the ground hard, seeing stars. A larger shape took form in front of him, scattering the other Ghosts with its very presence.

"Magius," the voice whispered threateningly, a voice like dreams in fog and the nightmares of a child. Indigo pushed himself to his knees, gasping, and the shape moved forward, reaching out a cloaked hand to touch his forehead.

Everything went dark, and then, suddenly, he was in a different forest, with black trees that twisted cruelly into the mist filled air. The ground was packed dirt under his fingers. He stood, looking around wildly. He shivered with the cloying cold that hung in the air.

"Where am I?" he called out, searching the mist for a sign of life, anything. "Show yourself!"

"You are here," a voice said, while others chuckled in the background. "Where else would you be?"

"Who are you?" Indigo called out, his dark eyes turning every time the mist curled. A new thought occurred to him, sending a jolt of horror down his spine. "A girl came before me, a blonde girl! Is she here too?"

"The boy-child claims to know the Queen?" the voice said in incredulous amusement.

"He lies, like all humans," another scoffed.

"Maybe he tells the truth," a third suggested. "And he is the King of Fire!" All the voices burst into hysterical laughter at the idea.

"Please, where am I?" Indigo begged desperately, unable to find the source of the voices. "Why am I here?"

A figure stepped through the fog, breaking the wall of white. Cloaked in amethyst robes, the woman wore a large pointed hat tipped with pink. Her hair was as purple as midnight, and she wore a string of large crimson beads around her waist. The edges of her cloak moved and faded as though they were part of the mist itself.

"You are my prisoner," the melodious voice replied. The woman's eyes were an unnatural shade of yellow. She extended one arm to touch the mist. "This is my world. Do you like it?"

"Who are you? What have you done with Riza?" Indigo demanded, but the woman's expression didn't change.

"The Queen was here…and then she left. I have no hold upon her, nor would I want to stop her here. She doesn't seek to destroy us like the flame whisperer."

Indigo felt a rush of relief to hear that Riza was no longer in this place. "Riza isn't Queen yet," he answered. "And who is this flame whisperer?"

The woman smiled with black lips, wide and cruel. "I never said she was the queen of humans. I have no interest in the ever changing rulers of man. The girl is _our_ Queen, the Princess of Evil, the Voice of Shadows, the Child of Midnight. She is one of us."

"You're wrong! Riza isn't some ghost! She's the Princess of Halleden, _Halleden_ not evil! She's the brightest person I know!" Indigo shouted, angry at the strange woman's accusations.

"Ah, but she is," the ghostly apparition said with a soft smile. "Riza, you call her? I will remember the name."

"Riza Calariam is her name, and she's not your Queen! She's kind, and considerate, and everything bright in the world," Indigo defended, a light growing in his chest as hot as fire as he spoke of her. The red pendants around the woman's waist glowed viciously, swirling as though they were filled with blood.

Her golden eyes widened. "That emotion. You love this girl, this Riza Calariam? Laughable really. Love hardly even gives us a meal."

Indigo blushed. "I-I don't, I mean, yeah, we're _friends_, but-"

"My beads do not lie," the woman mused. "What is it the humans say? Oh yes. _Boys_."

"Stop that," Indigo growled. "Now let me out of here, or else."

"Or else, what?" the woman said, her mouth turning up at one corner. Indigo gritted his teeth and reached for his Poke balls. His fingers grasped air. He looked down in alarm.

His Poke balls were gone.

"You should have thought of that before I brought you here," the woman chastised. "I alone create the rules for this realm. And now you will serve your purpose, whether you know the Queen or not."

The ground at Indigo's feet began to grow softer, melting into the consistency of mud. His feet began to sink. Indigo tried to pull his feet out of the muck, but it was like trying to pull nails out with his bare fingers.

"Let me out!" Indigo shouted. He tried to slip his feet out of his shoes, but it seemed as though they were glued together. "You can't do this!"

"Nice try. Why ever not?" the woman said offhand. Indigo's fear drained away, leaving him exhausted and empty. The woman's beads glowed brighter, the crimson light throwing shadows. "Your terror is quite delicious," she complimented, licking her lips appreciatively.

"What…do you…want from me?" Indigo gasped out, struggling to think through his sudden, crippling dizziness.

"Your pain," the Ghost Pokemon said, her smile growing unnaturally wide. "You, who have barely known pain in life…it makes this all the sweeter."

The mud had pulled him in all the way to his waist. He looked up at the amethyst robed woman, desperately thinking of a way out.

"It's futile," a small girl wearing a familiar crimson necklace whispered, appearing out of thin air. "Mommy never loses her prey. Look at you, you can barely keep your eyes open!" She laughed.

It was true. Indigo's vision flickered as more and more of his strength was pulled away. Cold sweat layered his pale skin, and he was too cold to even shiver.

"Wait!" a new voice called out. A young woman in a tattered grey ball gown broke through the mist, her bare toes hanging a few inches above the ground. Her hair was black as death, and she wore a skull mask over half her face.

A single red eye blinked through the sockets of the skeleton, like a red sun.

The girl looked disdainfully around at the mist. "Your mind is as bleak as ever. I am unused to this form."

"What do you want?" The Mismagius demanded through human lips, "I'm just finishing up."

"I see the future," The grey girl said solemnly. She grinned suddenly, vicious. "I see _far_ into the future, and yet in no time at all. Let the boy go. His pain has yet to mature."

The woman reeled back. "This boy is my prey! Find your own, witch!" she spat.

"Fine then. Kill the boy," the girl said offhandedly. She leaned forward, her eye narrowed. "Just know that if you do, the Queen will exact her vengeance. I would not want to be you if that came to pass!"

Indigo struggled to keep his eyes open, barely aware of the two strange girls conversation. He pushed at the ground with white fingers weakly, but with no hope of success. He just wished he'd had time to say goodbye.

His eyes opened wider lethargically, a delayed reaction, when the woman was suddenly kneeling in front of him. Her golden eyes were furious.

"Go. And when you know the meaning of true pain, return here, and I will take it from you," she hissed softly. Her features started to blur, along with the world around them. Indigo's last thought was that he was finally dying.

And then his hands hit earth, _actual_ earth, cold and sharp under his hands. He gasped in air as though he'd been drowning, and sweat coated his skin. He looked up and realized he was back in the forest, in the exact same place he'd tripped before. The ghosts were gone.

Indigo's stomach churned, and he threw up just off the path, barely able to keep himself up on his hands and knees. He stayed like that for a few minutes, until the trembling in his limbs subsided.

Riza.

He groaned, pulling himself to his knees painfully, the thought of her the only thing that would force his body to move. He still had to save her. He couldn't collapse here, not when he was so close.

Indigo stood shakily. He took a deep breath and rubbed at his frozen arms, trying to warm the paralyzing cold.

"Take the trail that isn't there," he said aloud, forcing himself to focus. He started to walk, his legs moving unwillingly. With every step he got just a little warmer, until he was able to walk almost smoothly. "The trail that isn't there…"

Indigo broke through a small copse of trees, into a clearing. Small yellow flowers glowed and winked with a golden light within the deep green grass, like fireflies, but that wasn't what caught Indigo's eye. At the edge of the clearing were six trail markers, each at the head of a small winding path.

The trail that wasn't there…it had to be referring to something in this place.

Crouching, Indigo studied the trail markers. Six wooden posts, each with the name of the trail, and approximate length.

Just off to the side was a seventh trail, nearly hidden by weeds. It didn't have a marker. Indigo grinned victoriously, and pulled himself to his feet.

He was almost there. He could feel it. Indigo broke into a jog, the light from the glowing flowers illuminating the winding path. After a few minutes he broke through the wall of trees for the second time, and the path ended abruptly.

A golden haired girl stood with her back turned towards him, underneath a blanket of glimmering stars that winked in the black sky.

And in front of her was a building that could only be the Doctors lab.

~o~

_Rain fell over Lavender town, bathing the ruins of the city that once was. Steam rose from the hot ground with every drop, and the sky was grey and heavy, mirroring the mood of the funeral gathering. _

"_We are gathered here today to mourn the passing of those who were killed in this tragic event," a tired looking Nurse Joy said, clothed in black. "Twelve people have passed on, and numerous Pokemon, both wild and captive. We are also here to mourn the town itself, a place known for being a peaceful sanctuary to the spirits of the deceased, and those seeking healing. It is with heavy hearts that we commence these proceedings." _

_The Nurse put a hand over her heart and stepped back. The twelve caskets were lowered into the ground, with smaller cases lowered in with their deceased trainers. The Nurse continued. _

"_This tragedy is not something anyone would like to repeat. However, there have been many troubling rumors regarding the Ghost Pokemon of this town. And it is those Ghosts that I now address. Friends! We have never sought to harm you, and we have coexisted in the past peacefully. It is my personal conviction that this was not a meaningless rampage of destruction. I believe that there is someone else, someone who used the Ghosts of this town to harm countless people, and Pokemon, against their will." _

_The nurse paused as her words sank in. She raised her eyes, and her next words were clear. _

"_Whoever you are, know that you have made an enemy of every trainer in the region. This attack will not go unpunished. The trainers of Kanto will avenge Lavender town!" The nurses magenta eyes flashed with fire, and tears fell freely down her face. Many people in the audience, the refugees of the broken city, shouted their approval. Thunder boomed, as if in agreement. _

_Suddenly, the entire congregation fell silent. A lone figure stepped onto the makeshift stage, clothed head to toe in black, complete with a cape that snapped in the breeze. His eyes were shut in pain, but his mouth was pressed into a line. Shocking, spiky hair shot out from his head, as crimson as blood. _

_Lance the Dragon Master stood still for a long moment. Then, his eyes opened. _

"_Friends and fellow trainers of Kanto," he began, his powerful voice loud, so everyone could hear, "I have failed as your Champion." Protests rang out through the audience at his words. Lance stood grimly until silence fell once again. Then he spoke. _

"_A Champions duty is more than being a trainer. A Champion must be a leader, a role model, and a goal to inspire others to improve. A Champion must be the strongest, but more than that, a Champion must be the best. This does not mean they must be the most powerful trainer. Ideals, morals, and a sense of justice are essential. It is not power that creates a good Champion, rather it is their ideals that makes them strong. Not just anyone can do it. But more than anything else…a Champion must be able to protect those who are unable to protect themselves. It is in that that I have failed." _

"_What good is a Champion who does nothing? What good is a Champion who, despite being the strongest, fails to use that power to save innocents? What good is a leader who cannot even protect his people?" Lance challenged, his piercing eyes meeting those of the people in the audience, one by one. He gritted his teeth, closing his eyes with the depth of his self hatred. _

"_But I promise you this. Today, the Champion will make a stand. I will not allow this horror to go unavenged. I will find the monster responsible, and no force on earth will be able to hide them from me! Yes, Kanto, I have failed you. But as Dragon Master and Champion of the Johto and Kanto leagues, I swear to bring those responsible to justice!"_

_The audience roared, and hundreds of people stood, shouting for the Champion, and lamenting the death of Lavender town. _

"Lance is so cool," Allison sighed, wiping away a tear under her wire rimmed glasses. "I still believe in him. No one could have predicted an attack on that scale."

Violet took a deep breath. She turned off the TV, which was showing new shots of the funeral procession. She wished Indigo were there.

"Lance is scary," Piper said with a wince, probably thinking of dragons. "But…a good kind of scary. Intense."

"Piper, that doesn't make sense," Allison scoffed. "How can he be 'good scary'?" Allison had met Piper yesterday at training, and she hadn't stopped needling him since.

"I don't know, it kind of makes sense," Violet soothed, acting as the buffer zone. "Lance is powerful, so he gives off strong vibes."

The three of them were in Violets rented room, planning a strategy for Erika. Indigo had gone out to train on his own last night, saying he would be back before late morning, when they planned to challenge Erika. Violet suspected he was practicing Aura Sphere.

"Miss Hikanashi?" a nurse said, poking her head into the room. "A package has arrived for you from Saffron. It's at the front desk."

"Thanks," Violet said with a half smile, standing.

"I-I'll go," Piper offered unexpectedly, beating her to the door. "There might be a message from my brother." Violet grinned her thanks to him, making the timid boy blush. He beat a hasty exit, stumbling on his way out.

"That kid," Allison said with a sigh. "I've seen Mareep with more courage. Why do you hang out with him so much anyways?"

"Piper is shy, but he's sweet," Violet defended. She winced. "But yeah…he's pretty…"

"Wimpy? Pathetic? Similar to a purple flower?" Allison suggested, arching one eyebrow.

"Withdrawn," Violet countered firmly. "He's gotten better since we started training. And he's been a great help with Avery. That one is a handful."

"Trauma from being born into a bloodbath and subsequently being abandoned for two years in an environment where she was constantly surrounded by fighting?" the blonde said, her brow furrowing. "For a Pokemon that practically breathes in emotions, that could be pretty bad…it might be tough to stop that prophecy from coming true if she goes psychotic. Maybe being surrounded by happy people would…"

Allison trailed off at the look on Violets face. "What?" she asked, looking confused.

The black haired girls mouth had fallen open. "But how did…I mean, I never…"

"Oh please. I know all about that incident. I told you I followed the famous trainers, didn't I?" Allison said flippantly. "Daniel Knight was one of the best. People said he would go all the way, before…well, you probably don't want to talk about that. Avery is infamous, or was, and her trainer more so. Once I met you, it was just a matter of putting the pieces together." Allison explained. She paused. "….also, Ralts are normally like, the most easygoing, naturally kind Pokemon ever."

"You know, I really, _really_, hope other people aren't as observant as you," Violet said with a wince. Her brilliant secrecy plan didn't seem so foolproof now. Than again, not all other people were admitted stalkers of fame.

"Violet, this one is yours," Piper said from the doorway, holding out a brown wrapped parcel. "It says its from Silph Co."

"From my dad? That's weird," Violet mused, taking the package. Her dad was always busy, so she rarely spent a lot of time with him. In fact, the last time she'd spoken to him face to face was before she'd met Indigo.

He hadn't even come to talk to her after she'd been arrested in Saffron for hiding Avery. When she'd called, all she'd heard was how her actions were affecting the family name.

Violet bit her lip and pushed a finger under the tab, ripping it open. A plain white card lay on top of a bubble wrapped object. Violet picked it up and read it out loud.

"Don't go looking for trouble," she recited. She flipped the note over. That was it. Allison freed the bubble wrap from the parcel and held it out. Violet started to unwrap it, confused.

It was about the size of her hand, all lenses and polished steel, with strange tubes coming out the sides. Violet read the inscription on the side, her confusion turning to astonishment.

"A _Silph Scope?_" Allison burst out, her eyes going wide. "Your dad bought you a Silph Scope? Do you have any idea how expensive those are?"

"My dad is…well, I don't see him often, so I think he tries to make up for it with expensive gifts. You should have seen what he got me for my sixteenth birthday," Violet replied. She looked down at the scope. "I'd rather spend time with him than get cool presents though."

Piper stuttered, like he was about to say something, but stopped. "That's….pretty harsh," Allison said, wincing. "I come from a huge family, so I really wouldn't understand. He should have given this to you himself."

She wasn't surprised by the gift. But what the gift meant….

"No, I understand," Violet said softly, a small, halfhearted smile on her lips. "He works a lot. But little things like this…not because it's expensive, but because he wants me to be safe. That means a lot. Besides, I can use this to see invisible Ghosts."

"Don't go looking for trouble," Indigo recited from the doorway, surprising everyone in the room. "Your dad knows you better than you think. We're not going to Lavender town, Violet. Or searching out the one who attacked it."

"Of course not," Violet scoffed, doing her best to look condescending. If they happened to run into that person however…

Indigo gave her a hard look, as though reading her thoughts. But his next words changed the subject. "It's about time for us to leave. I take it you two are coming to watch?"

"Heck yes! I wouldn't miss a chance to see Violet kick some Gym leader butt. I barely slept last night I was so excited!" Allison said with a grin, fire in her eyes. Violet couldn't help but chuckle at her new friends enthusiasm.

"I-I'll come too."

"Glad to have you," Violet said sincerely, to both of them. She paused. "Will your brother be back anytime soon?"

"Probably not," Piper admitted, "His Staraptor is fast, but…well, I'd be surprised if he made it back before tomorrow afternoon."

"Show him your badge then," Allison suggested, a mischievous look in her eyes, "And make sure I'm there to see the look on his face."

"Not a chance," Violet said firmly. She picked up her backpack, slinging it over her shoulders. She glanced around the empty room, seeing if she'd forgotten anything. "I'm leaving this crazy town as soon as I beat Erika. If I lose, I'll go to the Pokemon Center and challenge her again until I win."

"You're leaving? But where will you go next?" Allison threw in, her forehead scrunching up. "Unless you have a bike, it'll be back to Saffron…"

"Vermillion. If I fly over on my Ditto, I'll be able to skirt most of the city, and be to the seaside in no time," Violet said with a grin. "From there it's Lt. Surge."

"Are you really…" Piper started, speaking too softly for anyone to hear him.

"Ah, it sounds _wonderful_," Allison said with a sigh, "Being on your own, with no crazy siblings around…I would _kill_ to be able to go on a journey like that."

"Why don't you?" Indigo asked. "You could always come with us. Training with your dragons would be worthwhile. Unless Violet objects."

"No, no," Allison said hastily, before Violet could add her permission. She looked down. "I just…well, I don't think it's a good idea."

Violet stood, judging from the blondes face that it wouldn't be a good idea to press the matter.

"No more reason to wait. I'll heal here, and then we go to Erika!"

~o~

Indigo was glad for the healing machine after his night of training, but he was far more grateful he had been able to keep a straight face around Violet.

He had spent most of the past night in meditation.

As a human, he had never really liked meditating. Sitting still for that long just wasn't in his nature, not to mention stiff muscles, limbs falling asleep, ect. But as a Lucario, things were different. Perhaps it was the different body, or perhaps he had simply grown up a bit, but now, meditation focused his mind like nothing else, to the point where he could _sense_ everything around him, without Aura vision.

It gave his mind clarity like nothing he'd ever experienced, like the problems he'd struggled over were as easy as breathing to solve.

And last night he'd been focusing on nothing but the feeling he'd gotten in the department store, the feeling that had almost let him return home.

It had taken agonizingly long, of course, recapturing the feeling of despair. He would think that he had it, only to realize that this was different, or that was too weak, until he was almost to the point of giving up.

That was when he had felt to disconcerting feeling of another soul, another mind, nearby.

It was subtle, the feeling, dancing around the peripheries of his awareness, but it was there. Cruel, with vague interest, and as old as mountains themselves. It was a feeling Indigo would never forget. And also one that he recognized through the bleary haze of memories.

As soon as he recognized the Ninetales, the feeling of despair ripened, until it hit the exact point it had been before, and Indigo realized only then how far away he had been. Perfect agony, pain in the heart, not the body, that cried and bled for the lives of strangers, completely heedless of itself. Indigo drew in a sharp breath, but the emotion wasn't done yet.

Pain in the soul. The pain of…of _darkness_, darkness that consumed everything, not even leaving itself behind, until his soul was stained with something else, something _other_. How had it come to this? All he had wanted was a strong partner, and now, ironically, he was being taken over by one stronger than he. He saw the blood of course, but it couldn't be _him_ who ripped the life from Pokemon without touch, it couldn't have been _him_ who killed the girl, frantically talking into some device until the moment his hands touched her neck…

Indigo's crimson eyes opened, as his consciousness broke the memory. He was breathing hard, and the feeling of his own mind was such a relief he barely noticed how cold he felt. What was that? Who was…

_Pain of betrayal._ Her being itself was in pain. She had _trusted_ him! No, she berated herself, taking a breath. There's still time. It didn't matter that he had already been gone for over a month, it didn't matter that the King of Fire had taken his throne. He will come and save us, I just know he will. After all, she thought with a smile, he is-

"Indigo!" Violet called, breaking into his thoughts. He accepted the interruption gratefully. She was smiling, her lips turned up in the half grin he had come to know so well, and those eyes of hers were as bright and beautiful as gemstones. His own eyes tightened for just a moment thinking of Riza, but he forced the memories down so he could look at Violet.

"I was wondering…" she began, "Do you want to try something different with this next battle?"

Indigo was taken aback just a bit. "Like what?" he asked, not quite sure what she was suggesting. He felt a bit more himself just by being near the dark haired girl. It was like…like _medicine_.

"Erika's gym is known for being flexible," Violet explained, "and they let challengers choose what type of battle they want to use. That means single, double, or even mixed, although that one is tough…anyways, if you wanted to choose who to fight with, a double battle could be a lot of fun!"

"A double battle?" Indigo repeated with surprise, completely sidetracked. "Two on two, but only one trainer on each side?" Before he finished the sentence his mind was working. What different kind of strategies would be needed for a two on two battle? Who would work with him best out of Violets three other Pokemon?

Violet nodded. "It would be two Pokemon allowed each total. You're the obvious choice, so you can choose your partner. Mr. Fin would be fine with his part Flying type, and I know Ditto is new, but he could use the experience. Then Avery wouldn't have to-"

"Avery," Indigo said suddenly, interrupting Violet. "Actually, I would like to battle with her." Even as he said the words he was surprised, but he had the strangest feeling it was the right choice.

"Really? But…well, I guess you could still win, and it would give her some great battle experience…it'll be tough, but…" Violet trailed off, deep in thought, probably coming up with a strategy. Indigo didn't bother to reply. He had lost her.

"Vie, we're here!" Allison sang, pointing to the tree. The blonde was pumped full of energy, and was probably more excited than Violet. The dark haired girl's head snapped up, and she reached for a Poke ball. Indigo stood back just a little, to avoid shrapnel.

It looked like they were finally on their way to the gym.

Unbidden, Indigo's thoughts returned to the night before as Violet let out her Ditto and began instructing it. Not that there was much left.

After Riza's memories had poured through him, and he had been left washed through with guilt and every kind of pain imaginable, the Ninetales spoke.

"There. You now have a hint….or two," the feminine voice had said, so shockingly familiar he couldn't believe he had ever forgotten it, even as warped as it was by speaking through time and space. "…not that you deserve it. Although you have progressed far more quickly than I would have expected. Is it that girl? Such a strong girl, and yet so…breakable. What would you do if I broke her, I wonder?"

"Leave her alone," he ground out, angrily, but the fox spoke over him.

"There is no need to fear, human," she said, amused. "I could not break her if I tried. Her soul is strong, far more so since she met you. That makes _you_ the one who could break her easiest."

Shock coursed through him, a fact not missed by the Ninetales.

"Yes, that's right. And you know it, don't you? Very well…I will offer you a deal. Destroy the girl….and you can return immediately."

Indigo didn't even flinch at the deal. All he could feel was anger. "You and I both know you can no longer change the conditions of my curse. Even if you could, I would not accept. If I did such a thing I would not be worthy to return to Riza!"

The Ninetales laughed, and suddenly Indigo could see her, a transparent, cream colored beast with molten eyes and misty tails, fangs bared with her mirth. "Even as Pokemon you are foolish. You say such words, and yet you still do not understand! Very well then, continue on your quest! And kind as I am, I will offer you a third hint. If she dies, you will never return. That is a promise. Farewell, Indigo of the Scorn. You did not live up to the legacy of your mother."

With that, the Ninetales vanished. The second she did, Indigo saw one final image, a parting gift of the fox.

Horror filled Indigo's mind, the picture burned into his eyes like fire, until all he could see were the lifeless girls violet eyes, and her broken form.

"No!" Indigo shouted, anger so strong he could not contain it filling his body. Aura crackled up and down his arms like blue lightning, aching to be released, but the fox was gone. Without thinking, Indio released it all at once, annihilating a tree.

He barely noticed.

But it had felt good.

The rest of the night was a blur, but when the morning sun hit his eyes, effectively waking him, the land around him was shattered.

~o~

Violet stared up at the building she had tried to reach for so long. Tall and unusual, shaped like the flower of a Gloom, the structure reminded Violet of a child's drawing. All the same, it was beautiful, surrounded by plants and flowers of all shapes and sizes, with a few trees just starting to turn gold and red with the onset of autumn. The air was crisp and had a slight tang to it, although the day was warm. As serene and unique as a flower itself, the whole building gave off the aura of self assured elegance.

Celadon Gym.

Tingling started in her toes, spreading upward all the way to her lips and eyes, making her break into a wide smile. The energy rush was intoxicating, fueled by anticipation. _This was going to be fun._

"V-Violet, you're kind of scaring me," Piper stammered from the side, looking a little pale. "Are you okay?"

"Oh come on Pippy, haven't you ever had that high before a really tough battle before?" the dragon trainer snorted. "It's the best part of being a trainer. It's like, oh I don't know, like everything you've ever done up until that point in your life is for that moment. Like you can't possibly lose, no matter the odds, because you're the best and you know it too."

"It's like you have nothing to lose," Indigo said grimly, breaking in. "I know the feeling."

Violet didn't even register what was being said around her, except vaguely. It was time.

"Let's go," she said, and the others went silent. She placed her hands on the smooth glass doors and pushed, sending a blast of hot, greenhouse air streaming out of the building. Her hair waved wildly around her, but she didn't notice.

She had learned her strength from her two best friends. She wouldn't fail.

Dropping her serious expression, Violet broke into a genuine smile as she walked forward into the gym, towards her next battle.

~o~

Indigo couldn't quite shake the haunted look in his eyes. He tried, for Violets sake, but he couldn't erase the feeling telling him he'd failed. That he was still failing. He was making friends, and having fun, and he hated that he liked it here. The future was peaceful and good, for the most part. It was somewhere he could easily live in for the rest of his life, as Violets partner and friend, as a _Lucario_.

But this wasn't his life. This world was not his. And he certainly didn't deserve happiness.

He barely paid attention as Violet made her challenge, or while she and that Allison girl puzzled over the gym traps, a twisting series of vines that led to Erika. He looked up when Piper somehow managed to fall into a decorative pool of mossy water, and promptly got attacked by the normally docile Goldeen and Seaking residing there. Without even thinking, Indigo jumped to a rock in the pond and pulled the dripping boy away from the sharp horns of the fish Pokemon, depositing him back on dry land.

He was missing something. He had gained quite a bit of strength, and yet still he remained.

What else was required to break the curse?

"So, Indigo, right?" an inquiring voice broke into his thoughts. He looked up and met the sharp green eyes of the girl called Allison.

"That's right," he affirmed, surprised at being addressed. The blonde didn't seem to notice his reaction, or care. She looked ahead a bit, where Violet was speaking with Erika, having finally traversed the maze. She was out of hearing range.

"What happened to you?" Allison asked, her brow furrowed as though she was trying to figure out a puzzle. "You aren't a normal Lucario. Well, I mean, _duh_, but what makes you different? It's not the voice, there have been a few recorded cases of talking Lucario's, it's like…like you're from another time or something."

Indigo stared at her in shock, and Allison blushed bright red. "I know, I know, it sounds dumb," she added hastily, "I guess it was just a wild guess. It was just how you talk I guess, like you grew up in another century, and the way you look at electronics sometimes, like you don't comprehend, but you're trying, so hard, and…"

She stopped, and bit her lip, a gesture that looked out of place on the blondes features. She sighed. "I'm being rude. Sorry, I do that sometimes. I just keep talking and talking, and never know when to shut up. So what if you are something different, right? Even if you're not from this time, like it's any of my business. Sorry, really."

"What do you think then?" Indigo broke in, the sudden urge to ask her opinion taking over him. "Am I…good?" he asked, struggling for words. Allison looked surprised, and then thoughtful.

"I don't think you're as good as Violet thinks you are," the sharp girl said at last. "There's something in your eyes sometimes that makes me think you aren't telling her something. You remind me of a storm at night, with thunder but no lightning. If I had to guess I'd say you've matured a lot, and recently…and it was not by choice."

"Indigo, Allison!" Violet called out, and Indigo couldn't help but notice the fire in her amethyst eyes. "Come on, lets get started!"

"Duty calls?" Allison said with a wry grin, turning towards the gym's battlefield. Indigo nodded sharply, hiding his conflicted feelings about the girls analysis behind a warriors mask. He had underestimated her. Maybe…she could help him? If she was smart enough to figure out a cryptic curse, it would help a great deal.

Stowing his musings in the back of his mind until he could go over them later, Indigo gathered Aura into his legs. In three jumping strides he was by Violets side, leaving the blonde girl in the dust. His trainer - it still felt odd to think that - was still preoccupied with the battle ahead. She was blind to everything else, and for that Indigo was grateful beyond words.

When she turned to look at him, Indigo knew it was time for him to forget the outside world as well.

"Fight, Indigo!" Violet said, pointing to the field as he jumped gracefully to take his position, settling into a fighting stance. For the first time, he saw Erika, one of the strongest trainers in the Kanto region. She was not as he'd imagined her.

What hit him first was her beauty. On any other person her cropped black hair and plain features would be nothing more than homely, but no one who stood in Erika's presence could think her anything but beautiful. Her countenance radiated serenity. The small, half smile on her rose colored lips made it look as though she knew a secret about every person who met her charcoal eyes. She raised pale, delicate hands, making her old style kimono billow gracefully as she released two Pokemon onto the field.

"Well Miss Hikanashi, you've certainly caused a stir among my city," the girl in the floral print said with a woman's voice. "I must say, you aren't quite what I expected. And yet…you have an air about you, Miss Hikanashi. I expect great things. Now, shall we?"

Violet must have nodded, because a moment later Avery flashed onto the field. She trilled a questioning note, not bothering with words, looking dubiously at the two Grass types. Indigo threw her a look, and at the sight of his crimson eyes the baby calmed. She traced the determination he felt, and made it her own.

Violet didn't waste a second.

"Indigo, use Force Palm on Vileplume. Avery, Teleport around the Meganium using Double Team!"

Before her order had left her mouth Indigo had leapt into action. The Vileplume dodged his initial attack easily, with astonishing speed, a cloud of saffron dust spilling from the massive flower sprouting on its head. Indigo ducked fluidly, striking out with a powerful right kick aimed directly at the plant Pokemon's center.

An instant before he struck, harsh light burst from the Vileplume's flower, blinding him. He realized belatedly that he had missed Erika's order. It didn't matter. He slipped his eyes closed just as Violet shouted to tell him to use Aura vision, the world slipping into a blue-grey focus, with the shining form of a Vileplume engulfed in bright blue. He shifted his center of gravity, striking like a snake with a crackling palm.

The Vileplume soared into the air, crying out. Indigo didn't hesitate. He opened his eyes jumping after it with another Force Palm coating his paw.

"Meganium, Petal Dance!" Erika said with a flourish of her hand, and Indigo's eyes flickered to the right a split second before he was hit by a storm of slicing pink petals, deceptively pretty. He had forgotten this was a two on two battle.

He was still cursing his stupidity when he hit the ceiling, crushed by a tornado of flowers.

"Avery, Psychic! Cover his back!" Violet called out from below, and Indigo got an excellent view of the thousand copies of the Ralts releasing waves of black energy, engulfing the battlefield like the tide. Even knowing only one Psychic was real, Indigo was glad he wasn't down there.

"Meganium, follow up with a Stun Spore!, Vileplume, sweep away the copies with a Solar beam!" Erika ordered, spinning as elegantly as any dancer.

Indigo pushed off the ceiling, making his fall far faster than the pull of gravity, easily outdistancing the cloud of paralyzing spores. He pushed back the instinctive fear of the sight of the ground rushing towards him, focusing on his timing.

A second before he would have hit, he released a large Force Palm at the ground, reversing his momentum. He flipped before landing with his center lowered, and immediately threw his head and shoulders back as the Solar Beam swept over his nose with inches to spare.

Violet was giving orders to the single Ralts left on the field, who had apparently dodged with a Teleport. The baby was breathing hard, having just realized she was not the strongest Pokemon in the world. Good.

He, however, had other things to worry about. He faced his new opponent, a Meganium whose sweet smell could be distinguished from across the field.

"Meganium, use Sunny Day, and Vileplume, Giga Drain!" Erika commanded. She flipped a switch, and the entire ceiling opened up section by section, revealing a dome of shimmering glass. The Meganium arched its neck and the beautiful flower around its neck glowed as bright as the sun. The stadium filled with intense light, and Violet shaded her eyes, wincing.

Indigo only saw out of the corner of his eye. Erika's strategy of constantly switching opponents was good. He had to stay on his toes. He sidestepped the Giga Drain easily, keeping his gaze warily on the Vileplume. That was easy enough dodge.

"Too easy!" Violet shouted, breaking into his thoughts. Indigo's eyes widened as he understood. The Meganium was already firing a Solar beam, the Vileplume right after it.

Firing at Avery.

Indigo flung himself forward without thinking, creating a bubble of protective energy. Violet was shouting something to Avery, but he couldn't make out the words. He was more concerned with the twin Solar Beams spiraling towards him, Detect or no Detect. The attacks struck his bubble and Indigo felt a splintering pain behind his eyes as he struggled to maintain it. His concentration broke at the same time as the bubble, and he flew back horizontally, directly over Avery.

The small Ralts was glowing black, and grinning widely. The Vileplume didn't even have time to blink before it was hit with the malevolent Psychic and thrown against the ground like a rag doll. Before it could react, Avery hit it with another Psychic, and the plant Pokemon stopped moving.

"One down!" Violet called out triumphantly, just as Indigo hit the ground hard. He gritted his teeth against the pain, drawing himself up to one knee. It had been a risky tactic, but he had to admit, it had worked well. The Vileplume was already weakened from facing him earlier, making the weak surprise attacks effective. He grinned. Two could play at switching opponents.

"You fought well Vileplume. Return!" Erika called, recalling her friend. She pressed a kiss to the top of the poke ball before returning it to her sash. When she looked up there was fire in her eyes, and Indigo realized she had not been fighting her hardest before.

"Meganium, Solarbeam!" the elegant leader called, not specifying a target. The Meganium focused its eyes on Indigo, its eyes glowing like beaten gold.

"Indigo, don't jump!" Violet called out, and Indigo stopped his motion, freezing for a moment before rolling forward instead, just under the ray of rainbow lights. The Meganium shifted its aim, making the beam scorch along the ground behind, coming for him again. He came out of his roll running as low to the ground as he could, headed straight for the Grass type.

If that had happened in midair he never would have been able to dodge.

He kept his body low as he directed a Force Palm directly towards the Meganiums surprised face. The Grass type jumped backwards, as though it had been expecting his move. Indigo coughed as he inhaled the golden spores the Grass type had left behind, his lungs freezing up on contact.

"Excellent job Meganium! Now, Sunny Day once more!" Erika ordered, flourishing her hand. The stadium was suddenly flooded with light a second time, just as the first was fading, making Indigo squint. Before he could activate his Aura vision to make up for the lack of visibility, the Meganium was coming for him.

Indigo tried desperately to throw himself aside, but the paralyzing Stun Spore made his muscles seize, and he was hit full on with a Petal Dance.

"Indigo!" Violet called out from the side, and then she gasped. "Avery, no don't-"

Indigo looked over at the Ralts which had just protected him from the Petal Dance's second blow. It seemed she was out.

Violets eyes were shaded as she returned Avery to her Moon ball. "Indigo, use Detect until it stops using Petal Dance. It doesn't have another Persim berry."

"Understood," Indigo said grimly, not thrilled with the idea of getting hit by that move a second time. The Meganium battered his sphere of energy with razor bladed petals until the repetitive attack stopped. The Meganium looked up blankly, as though wondering why it was there.

"Now!" Violet ordered, but Indigo was already moving, hitting the dazed Meganium with two consecutive Force Palms. It stumbled back.

"Synthesis!" Erika called to her partner, and the Meganium shook its head sharply, its green coat shining.

"Indigo, end it now! Dark Pulse!" Violet shouted. "And make it good!"

Before he could stop it all the memories of the night before had rushed into his head, and his eyes widened instinctively from the pain. The black energy crackled with violet lightning, and exploded from his entire body with a crack like thunder, tearing up the floor just by being within three feet of it.

He heard Violet gasp in surprise at the size of the attack. The massive shockwave of onyx and electric purple hit the Meganium along with several trees on the battlefield, cracking them in half.

The Meganium went through the wall, sending up a cloud of dust.

Indigo collapsed, falling to his hands and knees. All the energy felt like it had been sucked out of him, and he concentrated for a moment on breathing, in and out. He looked up at the stunned expression of the Gym Leader, and then at the hole in the wall. Trainers were already rushing to the Meganiums side.

Erika was silent for a long moment. She reached into her sash, and when she spoke her voice was quiet. "Violet Hikanashi. You have earned the Celadon City Rainbow badge. Congratulations, you win."

"Thank you. It was a good match," Violet said simply, and Erika walked past Indigo to give Violet her badge. He didn't turn, still trying to control his breathing.

"Aw, yeah, Violet won!" Allison cheered from the sidelines, and Indigo remembered that they were not alone for the first time since the match started. Piper was there too.

"Violet! A-are you-" Piper said, his face white, and at _that_ Indigo did turn, meeting his trainers eyes.

Violet was white too, although she was smiling. She was also clutching one arm, the sleeve of her shirt stained with red. He felt like someone had punched a hole in his chest, and he sucked in a sharp breath.

"That must've been some…awesome training," Violet said with an embarrassed laugh. "My fault. I didn't get out of the way quite fast enough."

His lack of energy forgotten, Indigo stood. Within seconds he was by her side.

"Let me see," he ordered, trying to determine the extent of the damage.

"I'm _fine_," Violet insisted, pushing him away. "I was far enough away to avoid the full hit. It's just a scrape." As she spoke Indigo's eyes narrowed. So she had been hit by the wave itself? His eyes sought out a bruise forming off to the side of her neck. The attack must have hit her diagonally across the chest, making her hit the floor. That explained the arm.

She had been hurt because of him. Again.

"Indigo? Really, it's not your fault. If anything I should be thanking you," she said sheepishly. His head snapped up at that, his eyes furious, but she wasn't done. "I mean if you hadn't done that extra training that Dark Pulse might not have finished it, right? I'm proud to have such a strong partner. So don't blame yourself, okay?"

She meant it. He could see it in her eyes. He nodded sharply, looking away from her face, hating himself.

"Violet, are you okay?" Piper called again, running towards them.

"What happened?" Allison demanded, already reaching into her pack for medical supplies.

Indigo turned away as Violet reassured her friends. What had he really done for her? She was strong enough to battle without him. Honestly, Violet had never needed him. This just proved it.

~o~

"Ew," Violet muttered to herself. She was in the Gym's bathroom, changing into a new, non blood spattered shirt. Her arm was fine, just a few scrapes from the concrete. It had already been bandaged up by Allison, and it looked as though nothing had happened. She was more concerned with the purple-black bruise that stretched from her left hip to her right shoulder.

When she saw that the attack wasn't going to dissipate before it hit her, she had dove towards the ground, trying to get under it. She had been a few seconds too late, and the wave had caught her full on, with enough force to send her spinning, despite being weakened from traveling so far.

"You'll be fine," she said with a mental sigh. It looked a lot worse than it was, and it was just a bruise, but that didn't stop it from throbbing every time she moved.

She pulled on a white cotton tee, flipping her hair out from under the neckline. She nodded with satisfaction at how well it hid the damage. She turned towards the door, grabbing her backpack with one hand.

"Hello?" Violet called as she stepped out into the hallway. There was no one in sight. She turned, jumping when she saw Indigo leaning against the wall behind her.

"Piper is outside. Allison said something about having to go," Indigo explained before she could ask.

"Oh." Violet said. Silence fell, heavy and smothering.

"We should get going," Indigo said at last, pushing off the wall fluidly. "We need to leave before noon if we want to make good time."

He started to walk away. After a moment he turned to look back at her, his expression unchanged. Violet bit her lip and hurried to catch up.

He still blamed himself. Violet sighed, making a mental note to talk to him about it later. They would have plenty of time.

Indigo opened the door for her, waiting until she stepped out to let it fall shut. Piper was nowhere to be seen.

"I guess he had to go too?" Violet asked, half to herself.

"Call out your Ditto. We need to leave, whether he's here or not," Indigo responded. "We'll most likely see him down the road sometime."

"I guess," Violet said, feeling a bit hurt that her friends had left without saying goodbye. She took out her Ditto's Poke ball.

"Wait!" Piper called out, making the dark haired girl turn. The sandy haired boy had just run around the corner of the building.

"Piper? Were you…in the bushes? But why-"

"Let me come with you!" Piper said breathlessly, not stuttering once. "I want to travel with you and Indigo! I'll do the dishes and clean up, and I can even cook a little, just please let me come!"

For a long moment, all Violet could do was stare in astonishment. "You just…I mean, you weren't…Piper, you didn't stutter once! And your voice was audible!"

Piper blushed crimson. "I-I was…I practiced a little…"

"So?" Indigo said, turning to her with a half smile. She smiled back, glad to see a spark of his old self.

"Of course you can come Piper. I could use a training partner. I'm glad to have you!" Violet beamed.

"I know you would rather train with Roy," Piper said self consciously. "But I promise to try my best! I won't let you down."

"Don't even joke about me traveling with Roy," Violet muttered darkly. "I'd go crazy within a week."

"Violet? About Roy…" Indigo said, his ears perked up. His eyes were closed. Which meant…

"Oh crap," Violet whined, cringing. Roy was back early. "Ok, Pippy, we've gotta go now…"

"There you are!" a familiar voice called. Violet froze, hoping she was imagining things. No good.

"You are not an easy person to stall, did you know that?" Roy said in exasperation, looking up at the gym they'd just come out of. "I need to talk to you."

Violet glared at the rookie genius. "Let me get this straight. You instructed every trainer in town not to help me, refused to lend me a _Rattata_, and told the gym trainers when I was going to try to fly over so they could stop me with Vine whip, _just_ because it entertains you to make my life miserable, and now you need something?"

"I also told a few of my more devoted fan girls to keep up the crazy act even after our battle. And I bought all the HM01's at the department store," Roy said with a reminiscent grin. Violet gaped, unable to find words to express her anger. She settled for trying to burn him alive where he stood with a glare. Roy just laughed.

"Hey, I'm here too!" Allison said, waving in front of Violets face. The dark haired girl blinked, making Allison roll her eyes. "Who do you think brought the fabulous head of hair here anyways? I saw him on my way to grab a suitcase from home."

"Wait. Are you coming too?" Violet said, surprised. She saw said suitcase and choked. "And you're bringing _that_?"

"I need a lot of stuff," Allison defended herself, "And of course I'm coming! Like you could survive without my help!"

"I like this one. She appreciates my hair," Roy said, grinning. "But aren't you going to ask why I stalled you?"

"Because you're a jerk?" Violet suggested, raising one eyebrow, making Roy laugh all the harder.

"Nope. Because you're a helpless, inexperienced rookie who clearly needs my help. Also, I want a rematch. Here, take this," the handsome trainer said, depositing a red watch like object into her hands.

"A Poketch?" Violet said, and understanding dawned. "That's why you were in Johto! But why stall my gym match?"

"It was either get this to you before you left town, which, knowing you, would be right after your match," Roy explained, and Violet flushed at how easily she had been read. "…or hunt you down somewhere on the road, which would take forever. Getting to Johto and back takes time, so I had to stall you. Do you have any idea how fast I was going to get back here? And I was _still _almost too late."

He shook his head. "You're something else. If it were any other person I would have had at least a week with all those preparations. My number is already installed, so give me a call if you need help. Which you will. She," Roy said gesturing to Allison, "already put her number in, though I don't see why if she's going with you…"

Violet stared at the gift for a long moment before sighing in defeat. "Thank you. This will be really useful."

"What was that, Bimbi? I couldn't quite hear you…"

"_Thank_ you," Violet said, louder. "And don't call me that."

"One more time, I just missed it," Roy said with a grin.

"THANK YOU!" Violet shouted, flushing bright red, making Roy laugh again.

"Oi, lovebirds," Allison called from the side, "Are we going or what?" The blonde girl was standing next to an Aerodactyl, her suitcase already loaded on back. Piper was staring up at his ride uneasily.

"Not funny!" Violet retorted, releasing her Ditto. The pink blob transformed into a Pidgeot, which would have been majestic and regal if it weren't for the Ditto face that remained. Indigo took one look at the bird and pressed the button on his Master ball.

"Don't go looking for trouble, Bimbi!" Roy called out, tears from his laughing fit at the corners of his upturned eyes. Violet stuck her tongue out at him.

"And so, our hero's are finally on their way to Vermillion city, and Violets fourth gym badge," Allison said from her Aerodactyl, talking in a TV announcer voice.

"Whatever. I'm just glad we're finally getting out of this place!" Violet said, grinning as her Pidgeot jumped off the ground, soaring high into the afternoon sky.

~o~

**A/N **Hey ya'll! Kagotori here, your very own delinquent writer! I've got a chapterly challenge for you! Now, you're all familiar with Roy Stryker, rookie trainer extraordinaire, and apparent hottie. So here's your quiz:

What does Roy Stryker look like? And I want a full description, no saying "pretty". Anyways, the best answer will get an honorable mention in the next authors note, and if the winners is _really _good, they will have the option to insert a character into the story for a guest appearance. That goes for all characters, OC, yourself, anything. Just give me the team, the name and description, and you can have a short cameo or mention, depending on your preference.

**EDIT**: I received about eight descriptions after this chapter, and one loyal reader wrote me a three page story about Roy's morning fabulosity routine. It was, in a word, perfect. XD Anyways, she is the winner, and her created character, Lily Aren, will be in the story. BUT, if I receive more descriptions, I will still judge them, and possibly give out prizes.

And if you were wondering why I made a contest like this in the first place, I'll tell you. Roy was never, once described. I left him completely up to the readers imagination. So the Roy in your head is different from the Roy in everyone else's head, and the eight completely different descriptions I got are proof of that. Anyways.

Drop me a PM or a review, I love feedback of all kinds. I'm a little spoiled due to the complete lack of flamers, but honestly, I wouldn't mind a few of those. You have my permission, as though you needed it.

K-tori out! :)


	14. Truth

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own any major Asian game companies, or even a kotatsu. Don't know what that is? You're missing out. There is also very little Violet in this chapter. Sorry bout that! **

Roy Stryker wheeled over the golden city, high above the clouds. He took a deep breath of the cold air rushing past his face, and grinned. He loved flying more than anything else. Especially on his Staraptor, the fastest, strongest bird in any region.

"Wish you could see this, Staraptor! The view is great!" Roy called ahead, whistling appreciatively. His Staraptor turned its head, regarding him. The scar tissue where the magnificent birds eyes had once been was marred with tight, puckered skin, the result of a murderous Aerodactyl's attack. Roy smiled fondly at his blind partner, knowing it couldn't see him.

"Wait. Circle around, I think I saw something," Roy ordered, his forehead scrunched up. His Staraptor twitched a few feathers on its left wing, changing their course with ease, and then the two were spiraling sharply through the clouds. Roy leaned with the curve, his body reacting naturally to keep him on board. He put a hand in front of his face to shield it from the wind and frowned.

"There. Looks like smoke. That's the Saffron Gym." Roy murmured, more for his Staraptors benefit than anything. What could be going on down there? An intense battle maybe? "A little lower. Lets check it out."

His partner arched its wings, using them to parachute their descent. Slowly they fell, cushioned on the air trapped beneath the powerful muscles in Staraptors wings. As they passed through the lower hanging clouds, Roy got his first good look at the Saffron gym. He bit back a curse just as a shockwave hit them, laced with Psychic energy.

Black shadows flitted in and out of the pillar of smoke, some of them far too tangible. This was no gym battle.

It was an attack.

"Staraptor, climb!" Roy shouted. The bird Pokemon reacted instantly, beating its powerful wings to carry them high out of range. Roy was already selecting poke balls from his belt. He couldn't stand by. Sabrina needed help dealing with this, or Saffron would be destroyed, just like Lavender town.

Unbidden, his thoughts went to the violet eyed rookie who'd beaten him recently. If she was near town…

"I don't have time," Roy swore, but his hands were already reaching for his poketch. Just three clicks and he was ringing her number. It seemed like forever before the dark haired girl answered, and when she did, he cut her off immediately.

"Not now, Vie. Are you in Saffron city? Or anywhere nearby?" He said urgently, speaking loudly above the rush of the wind. It was a moment before she spoke.

"No, we're almost to Vermillion," Violet said hesitantly, thrown off guard by his tone. "Roy, what's"

"Later. Listen, I'll catch up to you guys in Vermillion in a day or two, alright? Until then sit tight," Roy responded grimly. Another small explosion ripped through the wall of the gym, scattering concrete. "I have to go," he cut her off, despite her protests, and hung up the phone.

"Go, Staraptor," He ordered grimly, his eyes burning with intensity. It was time to end what the Ghosts had started. No matter the cost. His Staraptor let out a high keening cry and arrowed down through the sky towards the battle zone.

~o~

For a long moment, Indigo stood in the dark, whispering grass, staring at the cascades of golden hair that covered his Princesses back. The scene was ethereal, complete with an unbroken blanket of stars that shone all the brighter without the moon. Indigo felt the unnerving sensation that if he moved or spoke, the spell would be shattered, and nothing would be the same again.

"Indigo?" Princess Riza questioned softly, without looking. She turned suddenly, her hair flying, and saw him. She broke into a disbelieving smile that warmed his heart enough for him to smile back.

"You came! I'm so glad!" Riza glowed, her voice like music on water. "I just knew you would be smart enough to figure out that riddle, but I didn't think…"

"Forget that," Indigo said, pushing his own experience with the ghosts to the back of his mind. "Why are you out here? Haven't you gone in yet?"

Riza shook her head. "I got…distracted. Here, look." She moved to the side, revealing a small form in the grass.

Indigo's heart almost stopped. Lying in the grass was a purple-black shadow, a breathing nightmare. In other words, a Misdreavus.

"She was fading away near the door. She seemed to be trying to get under the stars, so I moved her here. It seemed to help when I touched her," Riza explained, oblivious to Indigo's reaction. "I…I think she's sick. Look here, at those grey-ish crack marks. It's like she's turning to stone."

Indigo forced himself to look closer, fighting the bile that rose up in his throat. The small Pokemon _did_ look sick. Her normal markings were broken up by what looked like grey rimmed cracks, glowing red in the center like blood. He hadn't thought ghosts could get sick like that.

"How did you know she was a girl?" Indigo asked, sitting back on his heels, away from the powerless killer.

Riza didn't answer at first, and when she did she sounded strange. "I just…guessed I suppose…" She said finally. Indigo frowned at her answer, looking down at the small Pokemon. He wouldn't have been able to even make a guess.

"She says her name is Aneka," Riza added in a small voice. Indigo's eyes snapped up to the girls face at that, remembering what the Mismagius had said.

"That's…ridiculous," He said firmly, hiding his sudden fear behind his words. "You couldn't possibly know that. I think you need to get back and lie down for a bit."

"I'm not leaving," Riza said, shaking her head. "Besides, what would happen to Aneka? We came all this way, we can't turn back!"

"Her name isn't Aneka. If you want to name her go ahead, but don't try and tell me you can understand this monster!" Indigo retorted hotly, remembering his own near death experience. This was no harmless child, this was a killer. Treating it like a pet would be worse than stupid.

"She's not a monster, Indigo, she's a baby! How can you even say that?" Riza retorted hotly, picking up the small Pokemon. "And I just know that's her name, I don't know how! We need to get her medical attention, her and any other sick Pokemon in that…place," she finished, shuddering at the sight of the plain building.

Indigo grimaced. This was going to get him nowhere.

The argument was interrupted by the Misdreavus's sob. Indigo and Riza both looked down at the sound. The baby was awake.

She was also fading away, the tips of her hands disappearing into nothing.

"No! Hold on little one, you can do it!" Riza begged, her eyes horrified. "You can't give up! We'll help you!" She turned to Indigo, her violet eyes agonized. "Help me!"

Indigo looked down at the crying baby, revulsion lancing through him. This baby would grow up into a life sucking monster, the definition of fear. And yet…

Indigo sighed, defeated by the look in her eyes and her desperate plea for help. He grabbed an empty Poke ball, and pressed the button in the center.

The ghost disappeared into the sphere, still crying. After a moment, the sphere was still. Indigo placed the ball firmly into Riza's hands. "She won't fade until we release her. I know a woman back home, a healer. She might be able to help." Before she could speak, he held up a hand. "Don't misunderstand me. We're releasing it as soon as it stops fading. Then it can come back and live with it's own kind" _And feed off some other people,_ he added mentally. Although it didn't look as though any ghost would attack Riza.

Riza's eyes shone with gratitude. She stood smoothly and brushed off her skirt. Her eyes met Indigo's, and she turned towards the building that loomed over them.

"You're probably right, you know," she said, as she walked up to the front door. "I…well, I did overreact. Doctor Camellia saved my life. After this, do you want to go get some food somewhere? I'm starving."

Indigo gave the beautiful girl a half smile. "I'd love to, Princess."

Riza smiled back at him as she turned the knob and opened the door.

Indigo's vision seemed to tilt as Riza screamed, her entire body going rigid like she'd been paralyzed. Before Indigo could react, she was screaming again, over and over, the sound ringing in his ears.

"Riza!" He shouted, making a move towards her. At the sound of her name the blonde girl slammed the door shut forcefully, her movements jerky. She sank to her knees, clutching her head.

Indigo grabbed her shoulders, facing the girl. "What did you see? What is it?" Riza's eyes were unfocused and tear filled. She didn't seem to see him. Indigo clenched his teeth and stood, reaching for the doorknob. She grabbed his arm hard, stopping him. Her hands were cold.

"Don't…they were….Indigo, they were right! Everything-" she broke off with a sob. Indigo reached out an arm and placed it on her shoulder, more worried about her than the lab.

She didn't react to his gesture at all. Riza's pupils dilated, until they were pinpricks of black in a sea of violet. The shadow swirls from before were back, moving slowly under her skin, gaining speed.

Indigo had seen _that_ before. He stumbled back, just before rocks and bits of grass rose into the air, swirling madly around the horrified girl. Her hair rose too, and her eyes glowed black.

"What's wrong with you?" Indigo said, more a question to himself than her. "It's almost like you're a-"

"Monster!" Riza sobbed, her voice strangely double timbered, "No wonder the ghosts were afraid! He's a monster!" The edges of her skirt flared, and Indigo had the terrible feeling that he'd lost her.

"_The girl is our Queen, the Princess of Evil, the Voice of Shadows, the Child of Midnight. She is one of us…" _

"No!" Indio shouted, suddenly furious. "_You are not one of them!_ You're Riza! Do you hear me?" Roots sprang out of the ground, their cracked ends waving wildly in the air, and Indigo thought he saw shifting movement in the shadows of the trees surrounding the clearing. They had come.

Indigo gritted his teeth when he didn't receive an answer to his question. He threw himself into the fray of levitating objects, towards the girl who was almost a ghost. Bits of grass and stone stung his cheeks and exposed hands. He ignored them, grabbing onto the girls cold shoulders, trying to get her to look at him with her blackened eyes.

"Riza, you are not a ghost. You're the princess! You're _my_ princess. Ever since I met you, I-" he winced as a stone hit his arm, drawing blood. Determined, he forged on. "I'm different! I smile more, and laugh, and it's like I never knew how before! Sure you can be irritating, and you aren't scared of all the creepy stuff, but you're strong and brave, and you can smile through all the hard things like it's nothing! _That's_ who you are, not some cursed lab experiment!"

Riza stared blankly at him, all vestiges of humanity gone. Indigo was looking into a predators eyes, empty and flat. The ghosts around the clearing started to emerge from the shadows, their eyes glistening with muted excitement. The roots flailed around faster, as though on puppet strings.

"I love you, Riza! Can you hear me? _I love you_!" Indigo shouted desperately, closing his eyes against the storm of debris. A tree root stabbed him in the leg, and stars exploded behind his eyelids. He hit the ground heavily, muffling a groan. His blood pooled until it touched her shoes.

The whirlwind slowed, then stopped, bits of grass and dirt pattering down on Indigo's head. He flinched, then looked up. The black swirls under Riza's skin were still there, but now they were motionless. She was staring into the distance, her eyes blessedly violet.

"Indigo?" Her voice was soft, like she was sleep talking. "What did you just-" Before she could finish her sentence her eyelids fluttered and she swayed. She crumpled, her hair making a veil over her face. Indigo could only lay there, gasping, for what seemed like forever, until finally he was able to prop himself up on one elbow. He felt for a pulse in Riza's neck, and sighed with relief.

He looked down at his leg, and then back at the blonde girl. This was going to be a long trip home.

~o~

"Huh. Weird," Violet said, turning off her phone. Roy was acting stranger than usual. And that was saying something.

"Who was that?" Indigo asked, coming up to her silently. Violet jumped as he appeared from nowhere, laughing at herself.

"Roy. He was acting pretty strange," she commented cheerfully, grinning for his benefit. "It was probably nothing."

"Hn." Indigo said expressively, turning away again. Violet sighed, feeling guilty. He'd been like this ever since Celadon gym, a whole week ago. Moody, distant…and strangely reluctant to share his story. It was unlike him.

"Alright, training time," Violet announced, standing up. She brushed off her jeans, oblivious to the reaction her pronouncement brought out in her companions.

"Aw yeah!" Allison cheered, her eyes gleaming like fire behind her glasses. "_My_ turn, Hikanashi."

"But I wanted to-I mean okay!" Piper cringed as Allison glared at him. She smiled, obviously pleased, reaching for an ultra ball.

"Pass," Indigo said simply, staring moodily into their campfire. Violet gaped at him. Indigo _never_ turned down training. Not ever. After a while, Indigo turned to meet her surprised gaze with his own cool eyes. "Train the fish. Or the blob," he suggested, turning back to the fire.

Violet grimaced, turning away so he couldn't see her face as tears stung her eyes. His diffidence hurt more than she cared to admit. "Fine," she said shortly, picking up her yellow backpack. "Mr. Fin it is then. At least he talks more."

Indigo didn't respond and Violet stomped off towards their groups makeshift battleground. It was the only relatively flat area nearby, surrounded by forest. It had also been the only place Allison's Aerodactyl had been able to land.

"Go, Lace!" Allison ordered, releasing a sinewy periwinkle serpent onto the field, its soulful eyes as deep as the ocean. Allison's Dragonair was pretty, but it was a force to be reckoned with.

"Mr. Fin," Violet said with a grin, tossing her Master ball high into the air. Mr. Fin roared savagely as he entered the field, stretching his scaly form as he prepared for a battle. Violet admired his beautiful scales flashing under the late autumn sun, sighing slightly to herself. She looked up at the sky and the windblown clouds, feeling a breeze play across her face. She took a deep breath, pushing all thoughts of Indigo and Roy aside for the time being. Indigo had promised to tell her more of his story tonight anyways.

She could worry about the world later. Right now, all that existed was the battle. She opened her violet eyes and grinned in pure exultation. The world narrowed, drowning out the trees and even the sky, until all she could see was the battlefield, leaf blown and wild.

She forgot her name, and the battle began.

~o~

Indigo did not open the door.

He could have, and Riza would never have known. And yet, something told him he would not like what he saw. And Riza came first. Until she was safe, everything else could wait. No matter what.

The only problem now was trying to carry her. He looked down at his leg and grimaced. The wound was fairly shallow, and the pain had retreated until it was nothing but a dull ache, but whenever he tried to put weight on it, it felt like it had been set on fire. There was no way he could carry the extra weight, even though she was frighteningly light after her weeks of sickness. Looking back, he could hardly believe it had been so long since he'd met her. It seemed like no time at all had gone by.

He had two options. He could either find some way to carry her…or he could wait until Doctor Camellia came back.

Indigo groaned and struggled to his feet once again. His leg immediately ripped into flames, and he stumbled, catching himself on one hand. No. He had to get them out of here. If the Doctor found them here of all places, there was no telling what could happen. He would have to ignore the pain somehow.

He tried again, this effort bringing stinging tears to his eyes. The Princess was as still as death, not even stirring despite the noise he was making. He took a deep breath to steel himself, and rose for the third time. He stood quickly, to get the worst of it over with, and forced his body to stand still as the pain screamed at the rational part of his brain to stop whatever it was he was doing. He bit his lip, so hard he half expected it to start bleeding.

It took fifteen agonizing seconds for the pain to dim, until it was nothing more than a red hot ember rather than an open fire. Despite this, Indigo's eyes opened with triumph. He was standing.

He took a single step forward and the fire exploded, making his leg crumple instinctively. He hit the ground hard, and heard a cracking noise.

And then all the pain disappeared, replaced with a warm floating sensation, like he was surrounded by salt water.

He looked down and saw a small purple-black shape attached to his leg. The fall had set the injured Misdreavus free. And now it was feeding on his pain, drinking it in like a man who had never had water.

He swallowed his reaction, but a cold sweat broke out over his entire body. The poke ball looked like it wouldn't be able to close. He moved slowly, reaching out one trembling hand to try and push the small Pokemon away. His hand passed right through the insubstantial Pokemon, and it glared at him reproachfully. It looked much healthier than it had before. And from the defiance in it's eyes, it would not be easy to get rid of.

He didn't like it, but…maybe this was his chance? He stood experimentally, and the monster feeding on his blood mewled in protest, but stayed firmly lodged. He shook out his leg, and then stomped hard. Nothing. He couldn't feel anything at all.

He grinned despite himself. Maybe the little monster was good for something. Now he just had to get to Karraket before it started gnawing on his life force.

That was one problem down. But his leg wasn't healed, just numbed. Any extra strain could damage it permanently. So in that case…

"Come on out, Fluffy!" Indigo called out, his voice sounding odd in the silent forest. His Ursaring flashed into existence, and suddenly he didn't feel alone any more. He smiled at the sight of his furry companion, feeling warm inside for just a moment before he remembered the Ghost on his leg.

"Fluffy," Indigo said, wincing at the name, "Can you carry Riza?" The bear Pokemon rumbled in answer, and carefully lifted the unresponsive girl into her thick furred arms. Still she did not wake. Indigo pushed down his fear. Kaya could fix her. She could fix anyone, if the rumors were to be believed.

They made an odd group, walking out of that forest. The sun peeked over the horizon just as they exited the tree cover, lighting the road before them with brilliant red hues. Indigo felt his heart lifting as the last remnants of the night were finally chased away by the sun. The Misdreavus on his leg whimpered at the light and kept it's eyes squinted with pain, but clung stubbornly to its meal. It looked almost normal again.

Kaya lived deep inside the city, almost precisely in the center of the busy town. In many ways, the old woman was the heart of the town, pulsing life into the inhabitants thereof. Some people said she was a witch, others claimed she was a warrior of another time. But not even her harshest critics doubted her power to heal.

The streets were almost empty at the early hour, with the exception of a few shop owners. Indigo kept to the side streets and alleyways of his hometown as much as possible. He hadn't been home in far too long, but something told him he should keep out of sight until Riza was in Kaya's home. It would cause an uproar if the Princess were seen here, especially since news of her illness had yet to be made public.

It had been the center of his world for so long, and yet no one else even knew. Life went on, despite his world nearly ending. It was amazing to think that he hadn't even known her a year ago. Even stranger to think that his friend could one day rule this entire nation. It boggled his mind.

"Indigo! What a surprise to see you here!" A pink haired woman of maybe 30 said from flower filled yard. It looked like she was hanging clothes on a line. Indigo smiled tiredly, and fell onto the cobbled stones, unconscious at last.

~o~

An explosion tore through what was left of the Saffron gym, and the structure finally fell, crashing into the earth with a cloud of dust that hid the destruction from view. Roy looked at the trap he had barely escaped from, breathing heavily. Blood from a shallow cut on his forehead seeped into his eye and he rubbed at it tiredly.

"You fight well, Roy Stryker," Sabrina praised, her voice strained. "I can almost believe you fought our Champion, as you claim."

"I lost," Roy retorted grimly, his eyes on the fallen building. His eyes flickered down to his poke balls, counting the partners who were unable to fight. He gritted his teeth, picking up his final poke ball. He wasn't done yet.

"Prepare yourself," Sabrina warned, her eyes sparking silver. Her Alakazam, miraculously still conscious, joined her, one of its spoons broken in two.

A lone human figure stepped through the cloud of dust, surrounded by flickering shadows and laughter. His blonde hair was dirty, but it still managed to wave in the wind. He looked up, and his eyes were orange and pupil less, dead eyes that stared from a living face.

"You're good," the stranger said with surprise, his voice strangely doubly timbered, like two voices were speaking at once. "I like that. I'll kill you gladly."

"Who are you?" Roy bit out, wincing as his leg throbbed. "_What_ are you? And what could you possibly want?"

The man giggled, the sound completely out of place. "The humans name was Karo, before I ate him. I have no name. My master took it from me when she left. I'm looking for her. Tell me, where is she?"

"Ate him?" Roy breathed in horror, his eyes going wide. He had heard of Karo, the self proclaimed hero who had stopped that rampaging Dragonite a while back. He had heard of him from Violet too, briefly. He had fought her for her Lucario, or something like that.

"Your Master is dead," Sabrina said coldly, raising her hands. Rocks and debris floated in the air, lifted by her psychic powers. "She died a long time ago. I've seen it."

"Liar!" The ghost imprisoning Karo shrieked, and the ghosts surrounding him flew into a frenzy, flashing fangs and claws. Roy looked down at his poke ball, his eyes agonized.

"Staraptor, just a little more!" He ordered finally, calling his partner to the battle zone. The massive bird flashed into existence, its head held up proudly. One wing hung uselessly to the side, injured by the vicious ghosts.

"Sorry, my friend," Roy said under his breath, before looking up with fire in his eyes. "Just a little more!"

"What?" Sabrina gasped, whipping her head over towards him. "No, _no!_ If you do that, you'll-!"

"I'll be fine! Just back me up, and we can protect this town! It is yours, right?" Roy called out, meeting the cold eyes of the stunned gym leader. Her mouth quirked up into a smile. Roy grinned back at her. "In that case, we fight together. Just this once."

"You lose. You die." A voice said from behind him, and Roy turned just in time to see Karo's hand reaching for his throat, cloaked in shadows.

~o~

"We made it!" Violet cheered, punching the air. A sea breeze caressed her skin, making her shiver with happiness. Finally, they were here.

Picturesque cottages were arranged around the bay like artwork, bathed in the light of the playful sun. The waves beat along the shoreline, pounding the white sand. A few stores, and the ever present Pokemon Center lay on higher ground, overlooking the docks, looking solid and modern in this timeless bay. The docks lay on the edges of town, cheerful white sails bobbing on the waves nearby, dwarfed by the massive cruise ship from Johto.

"It is beautiful," Indigo said with surprise, staring at the sea with wide crimson eyes. Violet grinned at him, glad he had spoken like himself for the first time since leaving Celadon.

"Welcome to Vermillion City, the home of the best beaches in Kanto," Violet said proudly, displaying the city as though it was her own. "The gym leader of this town is Lt. Surge, a veteran of the last war. He's known for his overpowering tactics, and his gym traps. He's pretty tough though, so look out."

"You'll be fine," Indigo snorted. "I sincerely doubt you'll have any trouble."

"Thanks," Violet said, wilting slightly when he didn't say 'we'. She perked up. "Lets go play on the beach! I'm planning to train for a few days before facing Surge anyways, so it'll be-"

"No," Indigo cut her off, surprising her. "I need to talk to you, Violet."

"O-Okay," Violet stammered, "Whatever you say." She turned to Allison and Piper. "Why don't you get us rooms? We'll meet you later."

"Sounds like a plan!" Allison said with a grin, "Come on Pippy, lets go!"

"Y-your bag is…" Piper squeaked, trying to pull both his bag and Allisons suitcase. It was almost as big as he was.

"Oh, shush you. Oooh, look! Is that a…come on Piper!" Allison squealed, running ahead. He followed her more slowly, going red with effort.

Violet turned to Indigo, a question in her eyes, but he held up one paw. "This way," he said simply, grabbing her hand. He shut his eyes, activating his Aura vision, and they were off.

He led her expertly, as though he'd lived there all his life, twisting through the buildings and cliff like he belonged. They reached a secluded outcrop of rock overlooking the sea, completely empty of life except for a few Wingull, wheeling in the azure sky. Indigo stopped, staring with an inscrutable expression into the sea.

"Indigo, I-" Violet started, but Indigo whirled, effectively stopping her words with his intense, furious eyes.

"I am not a good person, Vie. I'm not a hero, and I'm not a good friend. I've done terrible things, and I've hurt a lot of people. I hurt _you_, when all you've done is look out for me," His eyes flickered to the hem of her shirt, where the healing bruise could still be seen. His eyes went dark and he looked away, his teeth gritted.

He started to speak the words she wanted to hear the least. "I think its time we went our separate-"

"Nope," Violet interrupted offhand, the middle of the word popping. Indigo started, looking up at her with surprise.

"Violet, you don't-"

"I said no," Violet said seriously, meeting her partners eyes ruefully. "I don't want you to leave, bad person or no. I can't promise I'll always agree with your choices, especially the ones you made in the past, but I'll always support you, Indigo. You've been looking out for me too, you know. In my eyes, you are a hero. And what's more, you'll always be my friend."

Indigo's mouth opened, then closed. "You are serious?" He asked incredulously, and his eyes were so wide that Violets mouth quirked up in a smile.

"If you try to leave I'll sick Mr. Fin on you," Violet promised solemnly, her eyes sparkling. "And if you don't cheer up, I'll find out if you're ticklish or not."

Indigo looked so absolutely stunned at this that Violet couldn't help but laugh, the sound echoing over the surf below. "You look like a Magikarp with your mouth like that," she informed him, giggling as his eyes narrowed at the insult.

"Magikarps can't throw you into the ocean," Indigo growled, stalking towards her. Violet gulped, backing up on instinct. She tripped over her bag, falling flat on her butt into a pool of water. Indigo stared at her before coughing into his paw to hide his laughter.

"Not funny!" Violet complained, her clothes dripping wet, only making Indigo laugh harder. She rolled her eyes at him, grinning because of his newly regained high spirits. She was glad he was back to normal.

After a while, she realized he was staring at her, a bemused smile on his face. "What?" Violet asked self consciously, checking to see if she'd gotten muddy too or something.

"Just wondering how I ended up with the best trainer in the world," Indigo remarked, shaking his head. "You really are amazing."

"Yes I am," Violet agreed with a smile, wringing out one side of her shirt. "And my best friend is pretty darn cool too. Come on, lets go to the Pokemon Center, I want to hear more of your story. You and your cliffhangers."

"Fine," Indigo agreed, a little too easily. His eyes became just a little bit worried. "But Violet…"

"What is it?" The amethyst eyed girl asked innocently, trying to wring out the other side of her shirt. Indigo shook his head.

"It's nothing."

~o~

"I knew you were a fool, but even I thought you smarter than a brick," an age cracked voice said by way of greeting when he finally opened his eyes again, groaning at the pressure behind his eyes. He felt like he had been hit by a bus.

"Mother, that's rude!" A kinder voice berated. Indigo saw the younger woman's magenta hair from behind. He knew that voice. But where…

"Joy!" He said, sitting up suddenly. "Where is-" Vertigo hit him hard and he doubled over, gasping. He felt a delicate hand on his back, rubbing in small circles.

"You shouldn't sit up so quickly," Kaya's daughter said kindly, "You'll just make yourself sick."

"The Princess is fine," the old woman in the corner said scornfully, "If _fine_ can be used to describe a-"

"Mother!" Joy scolded. She turned back to Indigo. "I'm sorry about her. _She's just a cranky old woman_. Would you like something to drink? Water maybe?"

"I'm okay," Indigo said, struggling to put his thoughts together. He was in a plain room with exposed wooden rafters, hung with herbs and decorations. He appeared to be lying on a makeshift bed on the floor. "What happened to Riz-er, I mean the Princess?"

Kaya snorted. Joy through her a withering look and turned back to Indigo. "The Princess is sleeping. My mother was able to ease the pain of the…well, the black markings, I suppose, and she, er…"

"I merely helped her into a more natural sleep. I don't know what you've been doing, but she was in shock. It took me most of the morning to raise her body temperature to normal levels!" Kaya grumbled. She stood, her faded pink hair bobbing. "Now get out."

"I'm sorry, Indigo," Joy said apologetically, "Ignore her. You're welcome to stay as long as you'd like. You'll be happy to hear that your Misdreavus is doing much better now that she's out of the light."

"No, she-it's not," Indigo stammered. Kaya gave him a shrewd look before turning to her daughter.

"Joy, this child needs some tea. Mint, preferably. Do you remember what the mint looks like?"

"I think so," Joy replied, looking doubtful. "You want _me_ to make it?"

"Yes. You. Now go and don't come back until you're finished!" Kaya ordered. When her daughter left the room she immediately turned on Indigo.

"Alright, now speak. What were you doing with the princess in the middle of the Whispermist forest? And why is the Princess half dead?"

Indigo started to protest. The old woman couldn't possibly know where they had been after all. But the look in her eyes made his words die on his lips. "I went after her. She was going to try and find…something bad. She was sick when she left, but she fainted when we saw some ghosts," Indigo explained, wincing internally at the lies. It wasn't his decision whether the public found out about the Princesses curse after all.

Kaya regarded him shrewdly. "You are an awful liar. You think I don't recognize what an illness looks like? And I saw how you acted when you heard about that ghost. If it were you, you wouldn't have brought it to me, now would you? And the Princess is no fainter. That girl laughs at fear, and is no stranger to darkness. _What were you two doing in that forest?_"

Indigo gaped, and struggled to compose his face. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said earnestly, keeping his voice level. Kaya glared at him. Joy chose that moment to walk into the room, a steaming mug in her hands.

"Here you go! I hope you like it," She said with a warm smile. Indigo took the cup gratefully, not looking at the old woman.

"Thanks, I appreciate it," Indigo said honestly, realizing at once how parched he was. He felt like he hadn't had a drink in days. He took a sip of the fragrant liquid.

"Indigo was just telling me about the curse on the Princess," Kaya said innocently. Indigo choked on his tea.

"Mother!" Joy scolded, rushing to Indigo's side. "What a thing to say! Poor Indigo might have died!"

"Please," Kaya scoffed, "Mint tea never killed anyone. Her curse is activated, and I want to know why. Her parents knew the risks of letting her near Pokemon, so why is she dying? More importantly, why isn't she dead by now?" Kaya mused out loud, staring into space. She looked askance at Indigo. "Stop choking, boy. It's hardly that bad."

Indigo was too busy choking to respond. His throat felt like it had been spewing fire, and was closing up in protest. Tears pricked at the corners of his now red eyes.

"That shouldn't be happening," Kaya muttered. "Unless…" She picked p the abandoned tea cup and sniffed it. She held the cup away from her face suddenly, gagging. "JOY! The _green_ leaves! Not black, not purple, _green!_ You may have just poisoned him, you foolish girl!"

"But they all smelled the same!" Joy wailed, "I'll get him some water."

"I'll do it. Where you got your blundering hands I'll never know. Maybe it was that father of yours," Kaya muttered, standing up. She left the room, returning a few moments later. She thrust a glass into Indigo's hands and he drank gratefully. The burning subsided on contact with the cool, mineral flavored water, and all at once he could breath again.

He sat there, gratefully sucking in deep lungfuls of air. Joy wasn't known for her medical skills. She was infamously bad, actually.

Kaya made an irritated sound in the back of her throat and grabbed her gnarled cane from the side of the cot.

"Keep sipping that for half an hour, and then get some rest," The old woman said as she hobbled out of the room. "Get out before Analynns daughter awakes."

~o~

"Not a chance."

"But Indigo!" Violet wailed, "I need to train Mr. Fin, and Avery won't stay in her Poke ball! Just for a few hours?"

Indigo held up a spiked paw. "You want me to baby-sit a psychotic sadistic child who can throw me across the room with her mind for three hours so you can train an already overpowered monster for a gym with a _double type disadvantage?_"

"Well when you put it like that…" Violet muttered darkly. "Anyways, Mr. Fin isn't overpowered. And he feels left out because I didn't use him last time! I'm sure he'll be okay! And Avery promises to be on her best behavior, right Avery?"

"I will crush your soul," Avery trilled solemnly. Violet beamed at her, and looked back at Indigo expectantly. He glared at the small Pokemon.

"Two hours. And that fish had better be twice as strong when you come back." Indigo said finally, sighing internally. The things he did for Violet.

"Yay! Thank you, Indigo!" Violet squealed like the teenage girl she was. She hugged him unexpectedly. Indigo stiffened in surprise and didn't have a chance to respond before she released him, running off to train with Allison. Indigo looked at the Ralts he had been left with.

"Trainer is weird," Avery said finally, regarding Violets retreating back.

"Trainer is weird," Indigo agreed, "But no more soul crushing comments or I start translating." Avery looked disappointed. "Why don't you want to be in your Poke ball anyways?" Indigo asked, changing the subject. He wondered vaguely why he was even having a conversation with a baby Pokemon.

"Dark-round is too big. Empty. Echo-mother didn't like it either." Avery responded sulkily. "I want candy."

"I don't have any. And if you eat too much you'll get sick," Indigo berated the small Pokemon. He sighed, wishing that he was training too. Without Violet there was nothing to do. He was unused to being bored.

"Bored too. Steal candy?" Avery suggested, reading his mind.

"Absolutely not. Stealing is bad." Indigo said firmly. The Ralts looked rebellious, so Indigo amended his statement. "Stealing isn't good, but I'll get some candy from Violet if you can behave. And not kill, rob, or maim anyone. How about you train? If you practice it will take your mind off things."

Avery thought about this, for so long that Indigo wasn't sure if she had heard him. "Train like Indigo. Become strong. Then what?" She wondered out loud. Before he could think of something to say to that Avery was lifting copper leaves from the ground and firing them into the blue autumn sky, her small body tensed with concentration.

~o~

Indigo waited until darkness fell once more before slipping out onto the black, cobbled streets. He pulled his cloak tighter around himself at the chill in the air, making sure his face was hidden beneath his hood. He hated the secrecy, but he couldn't risk getting caught. He skirted the flickering lights of the streetlamps, lit by Houndour flames, just another shadow in the night.

Riza, beautiful, kind, fearless Riza…it seemed like the entire world was conspiring against her. She was constantly in danger, constantly getting hurt. She wasn't just his friend. She was the best friend he'd ever had, and this past summer had been the best of his life.

He would protect her. It was that simple. And to do that, he had to know what she had seen behind those doors.

He wasn't challenged on his way out of the city, for which he was grateful. He reached the outskirts in no time. The fields of sunflowers that had been so bright and beautiful during the summer were nothing more than dried husks now, massive, brown flowers that loomed over the road. He hesitated, looking at the starlit fields of death, before releasing Sparks onto the road, lighting up the night for a brief moment.

"No telling what's out here tonight," he whispered by way of explanation, unable to break the silence of the night. Sparks shivered and nodded in agreement.

That being done, he stepped out of town, his steps crunching on the dirt of the beaten path. It seemed like hours later that he reached the edge of the Whispermist forest, although it couldn't have been more than thirty minutes. Indigo stared up at the dark expanse of the trees, gulping slightly. The forest was terrifying at night.

"Well, its not like there are any monsters or anything," Indigo said, trying to reassure himself. Instantly his mind supplied him with twenty possible monsters that could be living in the forest. He groaned, hitting his head with his palm.

"Eon, ee!" His Jolteon cried out, firing a spiked bolt of lightning towards a point inches away from his head. Indigo stumbled back in surprise, but Sparks wasn't finished. He fired again, just missing the tip of Indigos nose.

"Hey, what are you-" Indigo complained, dodging another blast. Frustrated, Sparks leapt onto his shoulder with needle spike claws, lunging at something behind his head.

"Mis Mis!" A voice complained, and Indigo turned in time to see Jolteon pass through a Misdreavus. Sparks hit the ground already braced for another attack, leaping for the things throat with white fangs bared.

"Easy Sparks," Indigo said, grabbing for the spiky electric type. Sparks growled viciously, his fur standing up in razor sharp needles that crackled with electricity, glaring hatefully at the ghost. Indigo turned his attention to the lone ghost hovering just out of reach of the forest.

"Mis Mis," The small shadow sang sadly, looking down at the ground. "Misdreavus…"

"Are you…the Misdreavus from before? You followed us?" At his words the Misdreavus faded slightly with embarrassment. Indigo felt the first stirrings of anger. "We don't need you here. Go back until you're better. After that, I'll release you, count on it."

"Mis," The ghost said stubbornly, coming back into view fully. She glared at Indigo, darting through the air until she grabbed his hand with one cold, misty appendage. "Dreavus, mis." She pulled, trying to get him into the forest.

"Hey!" Indigo complained, digging in his heels. The Misdreavus redoubled her efforts, and Indigo skidded forward a few feet. His hand started to go numb from the cold, the tips of his fingers fading until he couldn't feel them anymore. "Sparks, go!" he shouted, and promptly got zapped by a powerful Thunderbolt just as the Misdreavus faded into the air. He groaned from the ground, the sky spinning above him. The large red eyes of the Misdreavus appeared directly above him, glaring crossly. He felt cold blossom across his forehead, and then everything went dark.

He saw trees zooming past, at incredible speeds. Darkness flirted with the forest, making way for hidden paths and clearings. He saw the meadow filled with glowing golden stars wink in and out of view, until he saw a familiar wooden building in the middle of a meadow.

His vision returned to normal. Indigo sat up, dizzy, but not sick. "You know the way?"

"Mis," The Misdreavus said in exasperation. She flitted towards the edge of the trees, impatiently looking back at him.

"No need to be so pushy," Indigo grumbled, gathering Sparks back up in his arms. It looked like he was stuck with this 'Aneka' for now.

After ten minutes, Indigo was glad he had followed the ghost. The forest was impossibly twisted, and filled with a light, cloying mist that clung in his nose and to his skin. He would have been lost in seconds alone.

When the mist finally broke, he found himself staring at the lab of the man who had saved Riza. Old and wooden, the building had the homey smell of warm timber, and a reassuring presence. It looked out of place in the forest tonight.

Aneka, so bold a moment before, shrunk back, hiding behind Indigo. He took a deep breath and walked forward, despite her protests. He set down Sparks at the door, and returned him to his poke ball. There was no need to scare the baby Pokemon with whatever was inside.

Indigo placed his hand on the worn doorknob, taking a deep breath. He wasn't sure, even now, that he wanted to do this. What could be in there, that had scared even Riza? It was unthinkable.

One thing was for sure. Something was happening in Halleden, something big. And Doctor Camellia was at the beginning and end of everything.

Indigo opened the door.

The first thing that hit him was the smell. Hot and metallic air floated into his face, cloying and stale. Indigo squinted as his eyes adjusted to the light. And then…_shapes_ started to form on the tables lining the room, grotesque, mutilated shapes that stained the wood and the floor with dark liquid, and hung in suspended cages from the ceiling, _shapes_ that were slowly taking form into arms, legs, and blank eyes…

Indigo's legs collapsed as he threw up the bile in his throat, gasping for air and finding none. His heart pounded in his ears and in his mind, a hot, rushing pulse that blocked out all his senses. Aneka cried out, patting him with almost hands as she tried to fix whatever wound had caused him to fall, but finding none. Indigo was barely even aware of her as the images burned themselves into his eyes, searing images that he knew he would never be free of again.

_Matted fur, a severed ear, ripped open, _torn_ apart. _

The door was still standing open, swaying slightly. It had only been seconds, and yet…with an automatic motion, Indigo reached for the doorframe, steadying himself as he shook, gagging anew. He recognized the smell now for what it was, _blood_ and chemicals, and death, all mixed together with the undeniable scent of burning.

_An empty eye socket, a grotesquely wide grin, eggshells stained with red… _

He couldn't look up. He knew the answers were right in front of his eyes, but he just _couldn't_. He felt his childlike innocence being stripped away under the face of such cruelty, and he was too broken to care. He thought of Riza's smiling face, and with a sound like a heartbeat, the image of her face was stained with blood as she grinned wildly, uncaring.

_Familiar colors and forms, blue and purple and black, Riza's Pokemon, freshly and precisely broken…_

She already knew. Only that thought was able to break through his horror as he realized this. She had already seen, which meant she knew her Pokemon were gone, killed by the monster he had thought was a doctor.

Doctor Camellia.

Clapping echoed behind him, slow and mocking. His head came up with a start, cold sweat beading on his face as fear sank into his heart.

"I'm glad you could make it, _Indigo_," a soft, malicious voice said from behind, the one voice in the world Indigo had never wanted to hear again. "I thought you might come back."

Indigo didn't move, his limbs frozen in place. Aneka tried to push him into motion frantically, her tiny body unable to move him an inch. Footsteps crunched in the grass behind him, and Indigo knew _he_ was coming.

"This lab isn't exactly sophisticated," the voice drawled. "Messy is the word I would use. But certain things had to be done for the sake of science, things that simply could not be avoided. You understand now, don't you? What you just saw is the price for your beloved Princesses life. The one and only reason she still lives."

The voice chilled him to his bones, and Indigo found he still could not move. Aneka shrieked, diving for the space under his body, and Indigo was aware of a presence sitting beside him, facing towards the meadow and the open sky. "Was it worth it?" Doctor Camellia asked curiously, as though he truly wanted to know the answer. "Is her life worth what you just saw?"

The frozen boy didn't answer, and the doctor continued. "I've been working on this project for years, ever since the man who originally pursued it died. I wanted to create the ultimate medicine, the thing that could save anyone, and destroy anyone. I wanted…no, not revenge, the word doesn't encompass it. I wanted justice, to eliminate those who destroyed my family, and to achieve peace through fear. This world is rotten, you must know that. Rotten things are the price for Riza's life. Rotten things support the righteous world you see. Rotten things toppled the last king and threw the land into revolution. Is it worth it?"

Indigo's mind had stopped working long ago, but his voice answered without his consent, soft and shaky. "No."

"No?" The man said, his words laced with surprise. "It's not worth Riza's life?"

"No, that's not what I-" Indigo said, louder now. He bit off his words, staring at his blurring hands angrily. He raised his head and glared at the man through a fringe of blue-black hair. "Nothing could be worth that. _Nothing_, you monster."

The man was silent, staring thoughtfully into the starry sky. "You're wrong," he said simply, not bothering to turn. "And soon you will know it too. I have a task for you to complete, Indigo."

Anger lanced through him at the doctors words, and Indigo stood, his hands balled into fists. The doctor looked up at him with surprise. "You think I'd do anything for you?" Indigo demanded frostily.

"As a matter of fact…_yes_," Doctor Camellia said simply, looking back at the meadow. "You will help me with my research. I require new test subjects, and a few rare eggs. Your skill isn't great, but your potential is. I believe you could do this."

Rage ripped through him, and Indigo spluttered for words. "Think again," he snarled, fire ripping through his limbs, finally freeing him of the ice. "I would never!" Imagine, _him_ helping this monster with his 'research'!

"Is it worth it, Indigo?" Doctor Camellia asked again, sharply. He met Indigo's dark eyes with a flat gaze, staring for what seemed like forever. Indigo's brow furrowed until his words sank in, their meaning becoming clear. He hissed softly, his eyes frozen wide with the choice that had been placed on him.

Doctor Camellia stood, brushing off his black pants with a pale hand. "Tell her about your task, and she dies. I suggest you explain this place in a way that doesn't involve me. I _can_ save her. It is within my power to give her to you. The choice, Indigo, is yours. You have only to ask."

~o~

"Make this quick, Vie," Indigo warned, standing by his trainers side. "Drag this out and you'll lose. It's that simple.

"I know," his trainer said, drawing in a deep breath. She opened her eyes and they flashed. "I've got this, Indigo. The past two days haven't been for nothing, you know?"

Indigo sighed, knowing there was nothing more he could say. Two days Violet had trained Mr. Fin and Ditto, preparing themselves for this battle. The power had been out in Vermillion the entire time they'd been in the city, and Violet hadn't heard from Roy. The lack of distractions had created the perfect training environment. He'd never seen Violet so focused on training before.

She'd been even more focused on training since he'd last told her his story. Almost like she was trying to drown herself in work to avoid him.

"Indigo?" she asked softly, for his ears alone. Allison and Piper were on the stands, waiting. "You love her, right? Riza?"

Indigo hid his surprise at the question. "Yes," he said honestly, wondering where the question had come from.

"Thought so," Violet said with a grin, suddenly back to her normal self. "I'll use you first, okay? Together we can do anything in the world."

Indigo blinked before grinning ruefully. "Your wish is my command," he said half mockingly. "Together we could conquer the world."

"Lets hope it doesn't come to that."

"Hikanashi Violet! You made it all the way here, just to challenge me? Hahaha! I like your style, girlie! Head on and strong! But it will take more than guts to defeat me. My electric Pokemon will stun you!" Lt. Surge boomed from the other end of the field, his bad puns only serving to energize Violet further.

"No regrets," Violet whispered under her breath, so low that Indigo barely heard her. She grinned at him, and in that moment Indigo regretted nothing.

"Fight, Indigo!"

~o~

Indigo crept back into town before the sun rose, not bothering with hiding this time around. His thoughts were in a war with themselves, each side fighting with everything they had. He didn't know what right was anymore. He didn't know his own heart, torn apart by its own inner war.

The doctor had left shortly after making his demonic offer, making his way back to the dark castle looming over the horizon. He had said he would be in touch, and had gone without another word. Indigo did not doubt that they would speak of this again.

He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to do. What could he possibly do?

Leaning heavily against the side of a building, Indigo rested for the first time since leaving the forest. Aneka bumped against his head, trying to cheer him up. He almost wished she would eat his emotions and make all the confusion go away. Almost, but not quite.

"S'okay, Ani," Indigo said, petting the ghosts head with one tired hand. "I'll be okay." It was strange, but he no longer feared the ghost. He welcomed her, in a strange way.

Should he stay true to his morals and let the girl he loved die, or stain his own soul with darkness for her life? Should he…no, could he let what the doctor had done go unnoticed? Could he cover for a monster, a murderer? _Was it worth it?_

He would have to become a monster himself. He would have to sacrifice who he was for what he lived for. As strange as his acceptance of the ghost, he was no longer confused about his feelings for Riza. He loved her. She was part of his life that he couldn't be without. The thought of losing her was physically painful, now.

What would she think of all this? Before he had even completed the thought, Indigo cringed. She would not hesitate. She would destroy the shadows with her righteous light, and die for it. Doctor Camellia would be banished forever, his evil with it, and she would die a willing martyr, that same smile as always on her face.

Aneka drew back, surprised by the magnitude of his pain as he acknowledged this. The beads on her necklace shimmered with an unwilling fire, but Indigo's anguish only grew. He knew what he had to do.

There was only one choice. Indigo straightened, his eyes haunted with the fire in his soul. He would stay true to himself, and do the right thing. Let the chips fall where they may, so to speak, and do the horrible, impossible, right thing.

He would tell Riza the truth. She deserved that much, at least.

"Heaven help us both," Indigo murmured, stroking Aneka's head one last time. He let his hand fall to his side.

People were starting to walk past him, looking at him with confusion. He stood straight, ignoring them as best he could as he schooled his expression. He walked purposefully towards Kaya's clinic, his dark grey cloak swirling around him with tattered edges. He didn't even know what he must have looked like to them, with his shadowed, haunted eyes, and the iciness of his jaw. Indigo was a different person, hardened and just a little bit frightening.

"Joy," Indigo said quietly from the doorway. The woman with the short pink hair gasped, dropping a cupful of water as he entered the room. The eggs she was burning sizzled angrily. It took a moment for her to recover.

"_Indigo_, where…" she tried to speak, trailing off. Her eyebrows furrowed. "I thought you were in bed."

"I went for a walk," Indigo replied, not bothering with details. "I need to see Riza. Is she awake?"

"She woke up a little…Indigo, wait!" The woman protested, reaching for his shoulder. "What's going on? The princess won't speak. Please, I need to know what happened."

Indigo took a deep breath, flinching just a little. "Nothing. I can't tell you right now Joy. Please…just let me talk to her? Please?"

After a long moment of holding his dark eyes, something changed inside Joy. She let go of his shoulder numbly. "Thank you," Indigo said simply, turning away without another word.

He pushed away the cloth hanging in front of the makeshift clinic. Six cots lined the room in rows, but only one patient lay in the silent room. Riza was pale and expressionless, staring steadfastly at the wall. The deep black swirls arched over her skin, slightly faded from the night before. She noticed Indigo and gasped, sitting up.

"Indigo! Your leg, I remember…" she trailed off uncertainly as she took in his appearance for the first time. "What happened to you?" She asked instead, her perfect eyes troubled.

Indigo's heart clenched. "Nothing," he lied, putting it off. "My leg is fine. Kaya fixed it up for me. How are you feeling?"

"I'm…" Riza tried, unable to finish. "I…oh Indigo, I feel like…" Her violet eyes went bright with tears that threatened to spill over. Indigo was at her side in a moment, holding her hands with his own.

"Tell me, Princess," he said gently. "You can tell me anything. You know that."

"Your hands…they're so cold," Riza murmured. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. "That place. I saw things, horrible things…it all feels like a nightmare now, but I can't forget their eyes! Those eyes, like nothing I've ever seen before! Indigo, I _knew_ those eyes! My Miko, my Dew, Nyxie, even…even Coco…" She broke of into a sob there, unable to continue. Indigo held her head into his chest as she sobbed, stroking her hair comfortingly as his own heart screamed with remembered horror. He was glad she couldn't see his eyes.

She cried for a long time, without a single word. All Indigo could do was hold her, but he cherished every moment, his choice weighing heavier on his heart with every passing moment. He knew what he had to tell her, and it was killing him.

"Princess," he cut in after a while, not completely sure how to proceed. "Theres something you need to know."

"Indigo…it couldn't really have been him, could it?" Riza whispered into his chest, her voice unsteady. "He s-saved me, and he's helping my little brother. He couldn't have…I mean-" She broke off her words, clearly fighting back more tears. She looked up at Indigo with bright, violet eyes swimming with sorrow and pain, reflecting his own face back at him. She looked so agonized and hurt, as fragile as butterfree wings.

Something in his heart broke.

"It wasn't him," Indigo said, his words spilling out without his permission. "I went back last night and met him there. He cleared it all up. It belonged to a group of teenagers, just a bunch of stupid, sick kids. Doctor Camellia was the one who found that place and brought them in for punishment. Your Pokemon were stolen from his real lab, the one at the castle. He tried to stop them, but he was too late. He was too late," he said without looking at her, his voice breaking on the last word.

Riza looked up at him with wide, surprised eyes. "What about the conversation I overheard? I could have sworn that…"

"He was planning to go there himself, with Mayanna. He was going to bury the remaining…he never meant for you to overhear. Its no wonder you misunderstood, hearing that," Indigo babbled desperately, wincing at the lies. "It was all a mistake. And a tragedy."

"You…Indigo, are you crying?" Riza asked in a hushed voice, reaching out to cup his face. He was crying, he realized, cold tears that came straight from his heart. He held her hand to his face with both of his, unable to stop the painful tears.

"Don't cry, Indigo!" Riza cried out, "I understand! Its not your fault, I understand! The doctor is a hero and I misjudged him. It's not your fault I saw, it's not! And I know you would never lie to me Indigo. Never. Please, don't cry," she begged again, her amethyst eyes full of nothing but worry for him.

But Indigo couldn't stop crying as his heart broke into hundreds of tiny pieces, like brittle ice. It wasn't a choice anymore. He couldn't live without her. Couldn't even imagine it.

He cried out the last of his soul, freezing over like winter.

~o~

"You've decided then?" Doctor Camellia said bemusedly, turning to face him. "That was fast."

Indigo stood in the doorway to the doctors fake lab, the one in the castle. Riza was upstairs, sleeping. His eyes were as hard as flint as he stared at the king of fire, his cloak billowing out behind him.

"I'll do it," he said quietly, pain lancing his words. "I'll do it for her."

"You are willing to sell your soul to the devil? Metaphorically speaking of course," the doctor said with no hesitation, and a rueful grin.

"Yes," Indigo whispered, sealing his fate. He felt the significance of the word closing over him like a cage, and he knew he was trapped of his own free will.

"I thought so," Doctor Camellia said with a slight smile. "We will begin immediately, Indigo. You belong to me now."

Indigo's shoulders hunched, but he didn't refute the mans words. He would become a demon to save his angel. He straightened, his face as carefully composed as stone.

"Whatever you wish," he said, bowing fluidly.

~o~

**A/N **Haylo there! Miss me? Well I missed you! My Creative Writing teach assigned me a killer assignment that's kept me busy for a long time. Have any of you guys heard of Nanowrimo? I had to do that. For. Class. DDDDX But I'm back in action now, and better than ever, so thank you all for bearing with me! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, despite the meager serving of Violet, and the angst factor. Thank you all for putting up with me, and Merry Christmas to you all!

~K Tori


	15. When Angels Weep

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokemon, or Misty would have come back ages ago. **

~o~

"Eeeeeeee!" Violet squealed, twirling in circles as she laughed, sounding just a little bit mad. The chilly sky seemed shocked by her behavior.

So, for that matter, was Indigo. "You're acting like a drunk blender," he informed her from his spot on the frost bitten ground. Violet slipped and fell, landing squarely on her butt. She only laughed harder, her breath misting in the air. "No, blenders have more grace than that," Indigo amended, sighing. His trainer could be such a klutz.

"I don't care!" Violet squealed, completely unaffected by his jibes. She fell back on the ground despite the cold, pillowing her head on her arms. "Could life _get_ any better, Indigo?" she sighed happily. "I'm halfway there. I'm halfway to being the greatest trainer who ever lived. How could I be in a _bad _mood?"

Indigo smiled ruefully, slipping into a meditative pose. "Yes, you have improved recently. Your handling of Surge was impeccable. Even I have to admit that. It was a well deserved win."

Violet chucked her rolled up sleeping bag at him. It hit the side of his face, snapping him out of his meditation rather forcefully. He blinked at the unexpected assault. Violet was glaring at him exasperatedly.

"You earned that win as much as I did." The dark haired girl rolled her eyes at him. "You give me too much credit. Who was it that threw the Magnezone _through_ the ceiling? And it wasn't _me_ who got behind Raichu for the final attack."

"Slowest Raichu _I've_ ever seen," Indigo muttered under his breath. He stood fluidly, throwing the sleeping bag back at Violet in the same motion. She squeaked, covering her face as she tried to dodge.

Violet had defeated Lieutenant Surge in a masterful display of strategic tactics, shocking even the ex veteran. She had moved and reacted as naturally as breathing, her mind instantly coming up with the best course of action. She was getting to the point where she might just succeed in her dream, becoming the best trainer that ever lived. The Champion of Kanto.

And yet her eyes. She was still so oblivious when it came to pain. He looked at her and saw a carefree warrior, untouched by the pain of his world. She accepted him…but she did not know him. Not yet.

At the same time, he did not fully understand _her_ pain either. She had seen her best friend murdered in front of her eyes. She had fled with his secrets, and led a life of relative solitude…until she had met him, a frantic boy thrown from the middle of a war into a world he couldn't understand.

Perhaps they were meant to meet. Two broken souls, bonded throughout time itself. They had only come so far by relying on each other, by leaning on each other when they could no longer stand alone. For Violet, he had been her strength, a symbol of power and hope that shone with light. He had been her courage, the one who had made her believe that maybe she could live up to the future Daniel had envisioned for her. And for him, Violet had been his redemption, the girl who had shown him that maybe things didn't have to be dark. That maybe, he wasn't as corrupted as he thought himself. She had shown him a new way of living, a new way of fighting for what you loved. She had given a despairing soul hope.

"Zweilous, bad! No, don't eat the…bad, _bad_, dragon!" Allison gasped from her spot near the fire. She was huddled up in about three too many blankets that were in constant danger of igniting from their proximity to the flames. "I hope that makes you sick you naughty thing! No, not the shoe!"

"M-maybe if you didn't spoil them so much, they would behave," Piper spoke up from his own side of the fire, his stutter more because of the weather than his usual shyness. Allison snarled at this.

"If it weren't so cold out there I'd…do something! That didn't involve coming out! Or moving!"

"I wish it would just snow already," Violet said with a sigh, surveying the bleak landscape. Indigo agreed with her internally. If it was this cold outside, there might as well be something good about it. But the cloudy skies remained stubbornly closed, tossing sulkily in the winter air.

A gust of wind swept through their camp, bringing several dead leaves skittering by, and Indigo had the sudden feeling that they were being watched. His scarlet eyes snapped open.

"Stay here," he barked to Violet, and the world exploded into blues and greys with the activation of his Aura vision. Her eyes widened, and she nodded grimly, taking out Mr. Fins Master ball as she moved closer to the others, preparing to guard them if necessary. Her movements were practiced, the result of going through this exact routine depressingly often as of late.

Something had been following them for the past three weeks, ever since they'd left Vermillion City behind. And Indigo was going to catch it, whatever it was.

He pushed his body as fast as he dared go on the slippery ground, following his senses as they led him after his fleeing quarry. He had caught it by surprise this time. He grinned savagely as cold air whipped past his ears. Their shadow turned sharply, its trail leading directly over a chasm some hundred feet deep without pause.

"Not this time," Indigo growled through his teeth, eyes squeezed shut. He shot off the ground without missing a beat, dancing across the branches of three trees, getting successively higher in their outstretched, protesting branches.

At the top of the fourth tree, an oak that leaned dangerously over the edge of the chasm, he leapt into open air. Time seemed to slow as the ground opened up beneath him, a yawning, black chasm that threatened to swallow him whole. He moved through the air as though he belonged in it, his lean muscles tightening in preparation even as his crimson eyes remained hidden. Time sped back normal, and Indigo's outstretched foot hit the opposite edge of the canyon with inches to spare, knocking loose rocks to tumble down into the blackness.

The shadow dodged around a rocky corner, heading down a narrow path Indigo would have never noticed had he not been looking for it. He cast his vision ahead to where the path let out, and sprang onto the _top_ of the rocky almost-tunnel, on one side of the crack that revealed a worn trail far below. He caught a glimpse of blonde hair from the fleeing intruder, and then he lost sight of them.

The shadow continued running down the rocky path until it came to a dead end, surrounded by walls of grey stone. It rested its hands on its knees, gasping for air.

It never saw as Indigo dropped down silently from above, landing directly in front of the thin key hole canyon that was the only exit from the stone bowl.

"Enough of this," Indigo barked, rising to a stand from his crouch. The intruder stiffened, and Indigo saw that his quarry was indeed human. "Who are you? I demand to know!" Indigo threatened, his voice echoing sharply throughout the bowl. The 'shadow' straightened slowly, raising its head.

"Why, Indigo. Don't you recognize me?" The voice said, turning around. Indigo stared into violet eyes framed with pure spun gold, her words innocent and confused.

The Lucario jerked with shock, throwing his head back with astonishment. Riza's smile grew until it was too wide for a human face, and the thing turned back into a shimmering black form that hovered in the air. It struck at his head before he could recover, melting _through_ his body, leaving behind nothing except immobilizing cold and blackness.

Indigo's crimson eyes snapped open as a scream tore through the air, echoing faintly through the stone prison, so far away that he never would have heard had he still been human. He knew that scream.

"Violet!" Indigo shouted, struggling to rise. His limbs were stiff and lethargic. They protested against the movement, but Indigo ignored them. The light in the canyon had changed, the shadows becoming longer and colder. A light dusting of frost covered his body, as though he'd been lying there for hours.

The stone walls of the canyon were cold grey. There was no sign of the shadow.

"Tch," Indigo swore angrily, his furious eyes searching for his lost prey. He focused Aura to his aching legs and leapt out of the bowl, shaking off the caked ice in the same movement.

It took agonizingly long to get back, the time stretched out by the adrenaline pumping through his veins, sharpening every second. He landed in the center of the camp, scattering coals from the fire.

"Violet? Are you…" he began frantically, only to trail off with shock. Violets face was pale, the whiteness of her skin accentuating the deep amethyst of her wide, disbelieving eyes. But Violet wasn't the one who was injured.

Roy Stryker stood next to his massive Staraptor, panting heavily. He was bandaged around his head, both arms, a portion of one leg, and across one cheek. His unfocused eyes zeroed in on Violet, taking in her features with an expression that could only be called staggering relief.

"I made it…in time then," he whispered, half to himself. "I can hardly believe it myself…" he stumbled, almost falling to the ground. He caught himself against the feathers of his partner, groaning slightly.

"Roy? What….where have you been the last month?" Violet demanded, her sharp words coming out blunted by the obvious shock and worry in her tone.

Roy looked up with eyes that only saw her, completely missing the fact that there were others nearby. "I've been in the hospital, Vie," he said simply, wincing. "I woke up yesterday. Doctors said I shouldn't be moving yet."

"T-the hospital?" Violet repeated dumbly, uncomprehending. "But why…hey, are you okay?" she demanded as Roy coughed into his hand, the sound labored and painful sounding. Indigo's sharp vision picked out the streaks of red left over on his skin from the cough. His eyes narrowed.

"No time for that," Roy insisted, his feverish gaze meeting hers. "Violet, I met the monster who destroyed Lavender town. I know what he wants."

"And what might that be?" Indigo broke in, an awful feeling gathering in his stomach slowly, filling him with sudden dread.

Roy acted as though Indigo had never spoken, his attention focused wholly on the dark haired girl he called rival. "He wants you, Vie," Roy said simply. "He's coming after you next."

As though speaking the words drained the last of his energy, Roy collapsed onto the hard ground with a groan. He didn't stir again.

~o~

Indigo didn't tell his Pokemon anything.

He had considered it certainly, but he simply didn't know how to say such a thing. Part of him feared their reactions. How could they accept a master like he had become? How could they accept a man who was becoming more stained every day?

They couldn't. So he never explained, not once. He withdrew from them, retreating farther and farther from what he had once been.

Every day was a new mission, a new horror he tried his best not to see. It was hard work, for both him and his Pokemon. They had grown impossibly stronger in just three short weeks, leveling to become stronger than any wild Pokemon in all of Halleden. His missions ranged everywhere from searching out herbs and rare stones to capturing unusual Pokemon for the Doctors horrifying experiments. He was lucky enough not to be part of the experiments himself. He was just the messenger, the one who delivered the tools for murder, not the executioner himself. Every time he brought a new innocent creature to that bloodstained lab he felt a part of him die, over and over again.

He never stayed longer than it took to drop off his packages. He never stayed in that room long enough to meet the amused eyes of the doctor, or to see behind the empty gaze of Mayanna. He never allowed his heart to unfreeze, for fear that the horror would destroy him.

He remembered his first mission as though he had just completed it. It was scorched into his memory like a nightmare that never really went away, the one nightmare that made him wake up screaming at night, covered in sweat.

It had been on a beautiful, sunny day in Halleden, one of the last remnants of a long forgotten summer. The trees had been swaying in the breeze from a light, playful wind. Children had been playing ball in the streets around the Castle, innocent and carefree. In short, it was the kind of day that should never have been darkened by a shadow of any kind.

"Your first job is relatively simple," Doctor Camellia said without preamble when Indigo entered the room the next morning. He was cleaning a syringe with a white cotton cloth, not even bothering to look up. Mayanna stood off to the side silently, wearing her maids uniform. Her deep brown hair was braided and thrown over one shoulder. Her eyes were blank and empty, just as always. Indigo tensed, trying to hide his nervousness.

The doctor finished cleaning the syringe and set it down on a plain wooden table lined with medical equipment. He wiped off his hands and continued. "You must kill a Pokemon belonging to a child. That is all." He reached for a scalpel on his desk and began cleaning it, evidently done talking.

Horror, disgust, and shock electrified him in equal portions, making Indigo's mouth gape open. Mayanna's brown eyes closed, as though she was unsurprised. The doctor looked up after a long moment had passed, raising one eyebrow at him as though expecting him to leave already.

Indigo spluttered for words, his mind shorting out. The doctor waited. "But what…why should I…why do I need to do _that?_" Indigo said, horrified. "That doesn't help your _experiments_ at all! There's no point! It's utterly cruel and senseless!"

"Exactly," the man said as though it should have been obvious. "That's why you need to do it. Think of it as a test for _you_, Indigo. If I can't trust you to carry out whatever I require, you're worse than useless to me. You have until nightfall. If you fail, Riza dies. And I need to see proof. The body will do just fine. Mayanna will confirm the identity of the Pokemons owner tomorrow morning. If you try and fool me, just remember whose life is at stake. I don't really care how you do it. You could even order your own Pokemon to kill it. I leave that part up to you." He shrugged.

Indigo took one shaky step backwards, and then another, his eyes frozen with denial. He turned and ran out of the room.

The doctor turned back to his tools, selecting a wicked looking knife. He turned it contemplatively, watching the light catch on the silver blade.

_Ba-dump_

Indigo's heart hammered in his chest. He barely made it out the doors before he threw up in a bush, his sides heaving. He had thought he knew what he was getting into. He had been _wrong_.

_Ba-dump ba-dump_

For his first mission he had been ordered to commit murder. His first assignment was to hurt a child.

He didn't know if he could do it.

_Ba-dump ba-dump ba-dump_

The sun warmed Indigo's blue-black hair, and it was tousled by a light breeze. His skin felt cold and clammy despite the good weather, almost as though he really was sick.

Maybe he was.

He had known that this would not be easy from the start. He couldn't give up now.

"That's right, isn't it?" Indigo murmured to himself with a small laugh. "I _can't_ be bothered by this. If I am, then…"

_Ba-dump ba-dump_

"If I am, then I can't save her," he gasped, standing up shakily. "This isn't about me anymore."

_Ba-dump…_

Indigo straightened, his dark eyes hollowed with pain. He hadn't expected it to hurt this much.

But the hurt was worth it.

Indigo looked down at his pale hands. They shook slightly. He clenched them into fists and raised his gaze to the sun. He took a breath that didn't quite fill his lungs and took one step towards the main gate, forcing himself to move.

With dread weighing down his legs, and eyes that had forgotten how to shine, Indigo took the first step into shadows. Every aspect of his nature rebelled against it, reacting strongly to the poison that was this darkness.

He didn't look back even once. He didn't dare.

~o~

Roy Stryker's consciousness rose step by painful step, bringing him closer to the surface. It hurt to wake up. That was what he noticed first.

The second thing he noticed was the crackling of a fire. He felt a warm weight settled across his body, reassuringly heavy. He cracked his eyes open. The world focused and unfocused crazily, making his head pound.

"You're awake," Violet said quietly. Roy turned his head and made out the her form on the other side of the fire. She was facing the side, her knees pulled to her chest. The firelight played over her hair, highlighting it with gold and red. Those eyes of hers were shadowed.

"I feel like a Tyranitar ate me. And then spat me back up and stepped on me," Roy grumbled. He tried to sit, but quickly decided that was a bad idea. He turned his attention back to Violet. "What time is it?"

"Ah, about 5 a.m," Violet said a little guiltily, ducking her head. "I-I couldn't sleep."

Roy blinked. He felt a grin stretch slowly over his face. "Oh, I see how it is. You were so worried about me, you couldn't sleep! You must have fallen head over heels in love with me, not that I'm surprised of course. It's hard, being so breathtakingly beautiful all the time, but I try to live with it-"

"If you weren't injured I'd throw something at you," Violet said with a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Actually I was thinking about what you said earlier. About that thing from Saffron. I heard about the incident, but I didn't realize you were…sorry," she apologized suddenly, blushing prettily, "I called, but I just thought you must have been busy, not…"

Roy's light hearted mood vanished. He sighed. "Yeah, I was there. I saw the whole thing."

_Roy ducked purely on instinct with a gasp, and the hand cloaked in blackness missed his throat by a hair. Cold spread throughout his body simply by being near the ghosts touch of death. His Staraptor keened his anger, slashing at the man with a glowing wing, forcing him to retreat…_

"Was it really him?" Violet wondered out loud. "Was it Karo?"

The way she said _his_ name. Violet sounded almost afraid. Now _that_ gave him shivers. She was shy, but never a coward.

"_HAHA!" The man laughed with hysterical joy, his eyes wide and crazy. "You _are_ good! I like you!" His vermillion eyes went flat as all emotion left his face, disconcertingly fast. "But if you don't give me what I want, I'll kill you. Where is my-"_

_An explosive beam of gold lined psychic power hit Karo's head, knocking the surprised man into a wall. Roy turned and saw Sabrina's furious face. Her outstretched hand was smoking. "You will not touch him," she snarled, her eyes glowing like starlight and magic. "Creature of darkness, be gone! Or I will personally end you!" _

_Karo pushed himself to his knees with a shaking, bare arm. He laughed again, quietly. "Priestess, you don't even know, do you? Our goals are one and the same."_

"_Unlikely," Sabrina hissed, her ice blue eyes narrowing slightly. Without warning, the blonde haired man was behind her, with shadowed eyes and a wide grin…_

_He grabbed the gym leaders arm and twisted savagely with inhuman strength. It snapped like a twig, audible even from where Roy stood. _

"No," Roy said finally, wincing at the memory. "It might have been Karo once, but he's been completely possessed by the ghost. Well, almost. He can speak to it, so he isn't dead yet." He took a deep breath, and finally sat up. He turned to face Violet head on.

"Violet, I don't know what he told the ghost, but it wants you. You specifically. It claims you have a connection with its trainer, the one it searches for even now. Something from Karo's memory of you," he gritted his teeth here, angry with the thought of that monster so much as _speaking_ to her, "…made him believe that _you_ know where she is. Why she abandoned him."

"_Me?_" Violet whispered with shock evident in her tone. "But…_why?_ I've never even heard of a ghost Pokemon so powerful, much less anyone who could train one." A new thought occurred to her, and her face went white in the flickering light.

"Don't even think that," Roy warned. "It wasn't your fault, Vie. That thing would have attacked Lavender and Saffron anyways."

"_Is that so?" Karo murmured in Sabrina's ear. He twisted her already broken arm and a ragged scream tore from her throat. Alakazam stabbed at the man with a broken spoon, its eyes flashing. Karo danced back, easily dodging the exhausted Pokemons attack. _

"_Staraptor, take that thing down," Roy spat, holding his numb left arm to his side. His partner answered with a shriek of defiance. It dove with a flap of its massive wings, streaking directly towards the unarmed man. He barely glanced to the side before three Haunter appeared in front of him, protecting him from harm. _

"_The girl with the violet eyes. She can tell me where my trainer is," Karo stated confidently. "Priestess, you know her as well, do you not? You know what she could be capable of? Tell me where she has gone. I'm certain her trail led here."_

"_Hikanashi Violet is none of your concern," Sabrina said, breathing hard. Her arm was bleeding all the way down her sleeve. "Her path is set. I can no longer affect her future, no matter what I should desire. Any further interference with her would most likely worsen the damage the child would cause. I can no longer touch her!" _

"_Where is she?" Karo demanded softly. "My host informs me of the presence of a warrior who travels with her. A powerful warrior. Where have they gone?" _

"_Violet is gone. And you'll never touch her," Roy said grimly from behind the orange eyed man. Before he could react, Roy was swinging his fist, using all the strength he had left in his body. His blow connected with a thud, snapping Karo's neck to the side harshly. _

_Roy was breathing hard, so exhausted he didn't even have the energy to grin. Blood ran from a cut on his forehead into one eye. All the same, a feeling of satisfaction spread through him. _

_He didn't see the possessed man stand, murder in his orange eyes. _

"I know, but…" Violet trailed off, her features tormented. Roy sighed.

"It's not your fault," he repeated. "From what I understand, the ghosts of Lavender town were furious with the old tower being replaced by a radio station. The only reason they didn't destroy it sooner was because they weren't strong enough. Karo, or the ghost controlling him, offered his power in order to destroy the station in exchange for their assistance in completing his goals."

"So they got what they wanted, and he enlisted their help?" Violet bit her lip thoughtfully, a gesture so childlike it made Roy smile. "Just how strong is this ghost? And what kind of ghost _is_ it?"

"Gengar," Roy answered automatically. "It has to be. As for strength, I estimate it's at _least_ level 90. In other words, freaking ridiculous."

Violet blanched. He couldn't blame her. He wasn't sure Lance could handle something so over powered.

What Kanto needed was its true champion. They needed Red.

"Thank you," Violet said softly, surprising him. She had turned her eyes to him through the flames. He smiled half heartedly at her.

"Friends don't have to say thank you," he said by way of answer. "It was nothing."

"Thanks anyways," Violet said again, her eyes bright with sudden tears. She looked away hastily, but not before Roy had seen. He grimaced, thinking of how he must have looked when he'd first showed up. Great, just great. He'd made Violet cry.

_Pain. _

_Lights flashed in front of his eyes, winking out one by one as they were consumed by darkness. Images flickered in front of his eyes of people he'd never seen before, sights and sounds completely knew to him. It hurt. That was the only coherent thought in Roy's stunned mind as _pain_ lanced through him. _

"_I see," Karo said thoughtfully, drawing his hand away from Roy's forehead. He collapsed onto his knees, his breath ragged. "So she has come and gone, the warrior with her. Not to worry. I will find her."_

_He turned away, walking down the street as calmly as if nothing had ever happened, despite the destruction of the gym. Roy's heart thudded in his chest. _

_He had to move. _

_Shakily, he moved one hand to the ground, trying to push himself up. His hand didn't seem to want to listen to him. It lay on the hard earth numbly, like it was disconnected from the rest of his body. _

_His vision tilted as he fell. He hit the ground hard, but for some reason he couldn't feel the impact. As his view of the world began to go dark, Roy tried to focus on the blonde man walking further and further away, surrounded by ghosts. _

_He was going after Violet. He knew what direction she was going in. _

_And it was all his fault. _

_His mind went black, and Roy thought no more. _

"Trust me, Vie. You don't owe me anything," he said at last, and the two lapsed into silence until morning.

~o~

This was the one.

Indigo looked up at the second story window of the plain wooden house, surrounded by many others just like it. It was cozily situated by the cobbled road, with a dainty front yard and a painted porch.

A normal family lived in the home, a hard working father, a kind mother, and an angelic young girl. He knew, because he had spent nearly the entire day watching them, trying to convince himself to knock on the door.

The little girl had a Pokemon. It was sick. She was heartbroken, but had put on a brave face. All day long she had been running to and fro, playing doctor while her parents did the real work.

Her parents had just gone in the direction of Kaya's home, in search of professional help. They had left the little girl all alone. It was the perfect opportunity. And if he waited any longer, Kaya would show up and he would have no chance.

The streetlights were already lit. The sun was almost set. He was out of time. Indigo walked up to the plain door and knocked firmly, ignoring the nausea in his stomach.

It opened, revealing a small girl with big blue eyes. Her blonde hair was tied into pigtails with little pink ribbons. Her cheeks were red with crying. "H-hello?"

Indigo's heart squeezed painfully, and he nearly left then and there. "I'm here about a sick Pokemon. I'm a doctor," he added, struggling to keep his face neutral.

"Really? You can help?" The little girl demanded, her eyes going wide. She smiled hugely. "Thank you, mister! I was so worried!"

"Of course," Indigo said, inclining his head impassively. The little girl grabbed his hand, surprising him. She pulled him into the house.

"Rosy is right in the living room. She's real sick. She has a fever an' everything," the girl said solemnly, her forehead scrunching up. "My name is Madeline."

Indigo didn't say anything. He didn't want his name to be known. The small child led him trustingly to a cozy room with a fire crackling in one corner merrily. Two couches and a table completed the image of an average family's living space. It reminded him of the home he'd been raised in, years ago.

"Ah, Rosy!" Madeline beamed, breaking into a wide smile. His gaze followed hers, to a small bundle wrapped in blankets on one couch. It had soft, pink skin and incredibly large blue eyes. He remembered it from Riza's books.

"A Jigglypuff?" He asked, kneeling to examine the Pokemon. Madeline nodded, her eyes bravely holding back their fear, even as she smiled at the sight of her beloved Pokemon. He felt the Jigglypuff's forehead, then leaned forward to listen to its labored breathing.

It was the flu. That was all.

The girls Jigglypuff was in no danger. Not from the sickness at any rate. Cloying horror filled his heart. He felt like throwing up. Instead he cursed Doctor Camellia with every fiber of his being. Was this the price for an innocent girls life?

"Rosy was a present from my big brother, before he went away. Mommy and Daddy say he went on a long trip, so I haven't seen him for a while," Madeline said solemnly, whispering so as not to wake her beloved pet. "Daddy is always working, so Rosy helps me feel less lonely. I love her so much. If it weren't for you, she'd-"

"_Stop it!_" Indigo shouted desperately, fighting the urge to cover his ears. "Just stop talking!" A storm whirled in his heart, howling so loud he could hardly hear anything else. He _didn't want to know_! He didn't want to hear how she loved it! He just wanted to be sick, and forget about all of this, but he _couldn't_, not unless he wanted Riza to die. For her to be no more, just another _casualty_…

Madeline blinked, her innocent face surprised. Miraculously, Rosy was still asleep, breathing inevitably in and out. Indigo controlled himself, gritting his teeth so hard they hurt. "Go get me some water. Hot. I'll need some rags too." Madeline didn't move, staring up at him with wide eyes, as though questioning her decision to let him inside for the first time. "Go!" Indigo snapped, losing patience. The little girl nodded uncertainly, then fled.

Rosy was flushed pinker than normal. She was too warm as well. Would it really be such a stretch for her to die of natural causes? She might not last the night anyways, right?

He could rationalize all he wanted.

But it didn't change the facts.

The next time Rosy…no, the _Pokemon_, exhaled, Indigo put his hand over its mouth, before his sickened heart could object.

It was so easy. Rosy struggled slightly for breath and found none. She never even woke up. It only took a few minutes for her soft body to relax, as though releasing a sigh. He dropped his hand to his side, where it swung uselessly. He could still feel the warmth from her body on his skin. He stared at the empty shell on the couch with dark eyes until Madeline came back, carrying a large bowl of steaming water.

"I'm sorry. I was too late," Indigo said after a long moment, when Madeline didn't speak. She stared at him, not understanding. Her mouth fell open slightly as his words registered, her blue eyes going impossibly wide.

"Rosy?" the girl whispered, reaching out a hand to shake her pet. "Rosy, w-wake up!"

The Pokemon didn't stir, already going cold.

"_No! _Rosy, you can't leave me!" Madeline shouted, tears flowing down her small face. "Rosy!"

Indigo stood silently, watching. He waited for the horror to come. It never did. Perhaps he was in shock, he mused idly. He couldn't tell.

"I'm sorry, Miss Madeline," he said simply, bowing slightly. The young girl didn't even notice, still crying over the body of her beloved friend. Indigo sighed. He walked out the front door and down the street, his grey cloak billowing around him. As he walked, the horror came, piece by piece. He was leaving behind the heartbroken child whose pain would haunt his nightmares. He didn't think of Riza. He couldn't. Such light was not meant to inhabit a moment of dawning darkness.

~o~

"Fight, Mr. Fin!" Violet shouted, her eyes flickering towards Indigo for the briefest moment. Gyarados exploded from its Master ball, snarling. He swayed from side to side, his massive fangs bared in a grimace as he stared at his opponent.

Indigo tried not to feel hurt by her choice. She had been distant ever since the week before, when he had told her of his first assignment for the Doctor. He felt like a wall had come up between them since then. Stupid, he berated himself, of course she would be shocked. It shouldn't surprise him at all. Even Violet had her limits. There were things even she wouldn't understand.

"Mr. Fin, dodge, and use Crunch!" Violet ordered, her eyes ablaze, completely unaware of his thoughts. Janine's Venomoth flitted to the side on dusty wings, dodging the crushing fangs of the Gyarados. Its multifaceted eyes shimmered like rainbows, hitting Mr. Fin with a Psywave attack.

After hearing Roy's story, Indigo had insisted on a faster pace. Much faster. They had flown from route 13 to Fuschia in a matter of days, abandoning their ghostly tail. It had taken less than half the time it would have taken to walk. Violet had been opposed to the idea. She wanted to face Karo herself.

Indigo thanked the stars they had talked her out of _that_ idea. She had reluctantly agreed to more training before they seriously considered facing Karo. He hoped the one known as Champion would be able to stop him before Violet became stronger. Or at least before she _thought_ she was ready.

"Use Fire Blast! No, don't…!"

Indigo looked up just in time to see Mr. Fin faint. He frowned. That was unlike Violet.

"Ditto, I choose you!" Violet said next, her eyes ablaze in a way that only Mr. Fins defeat could bring out. Janine returned her Venomoth, sending out a Skuntank in its place with a wordless grin. Violet's eyes flashed in response.

"Ditto, Transform into Indigo!"

Now _that_ irritated him. Indigo growled low in his throat, something he never would have been able to do as a human. He knew his own moves far better than any imitation. But, he admitted, watching the fast paced battle, the Ditto was responding better to Violet than he had expected. They worked like a team. He turned away, feeling churlish about the whole thing.

Roy Stryker had traveled with them for a few days. The training Violet had gotten in was almost worth the constant arguments and fights. Those two were like fire and ice, the way they fought. It was, frankly, ridiculous.

But despite the fighting, when they battled it was like watching artwork. They predicted the others moves in stride, coming up with more and more elaborate strategies to pull out a win. Indigo was out of his depth. All he could do during those battles was trust Violet and hope she knew what she was doing. Which she did, more often than not.

As far as Indigo knew, Roy was back in the Johto region currently, on a quest to obtain some powerful medicine for his Rapidash. She alone had been injured severely during his fight with Karo. Indigo found himself hoping she would recover, despite the fact that they had met as enemies. Riza would have loved Roy's Rapidash.

Janine's surprised laughter broke him from his reverie. The girl was tiny, but fierce, with spiky purple hair that looked wild even in a ponytail. She was wearing a long scarf over her ninja outfit which trailed on the ground. The girl was a gym leader, and a formidable one at that.

"Don't get me wrong, you have all the right instincts," Janine laughed. "But your inner focus is all out of whack. In martial arts, we'd say you needed to discipline your mind. Things are bothering you, maybe important, maybe not, but as long as you focus on _them_, instead of _this," _the girl said, hitting a fist over her heart, "…you won't be able to battle with your full capacity. I'm no therapist, but if you want to be the best, you can't do things halfway."

"I'm not finished yet," Violet said. Indigo recognized the same determination as ever in her eyes. Her expression was more intense than usual, less lighthearted. She touched the Moon ball on her belt and Indigo looked away sharply, his own eyes flashing angrily.

Janine regarded them both for a long moment. "You know what? I give up. You can have your badge, rookie."

"I…what?" Violet said blankly, clearly confused. Her hand fell to her side uncertainly. Janine recalled her almost exhausted Pokemon. She turned away, waving her hand noncommittally as she did. A gym attendant dressed almost identically to Janine rushed forward, presenting the stunned Violet with a badge.

"Wait a second," Violet called out at the retreating girl, her forehead scrunched up with confusion. "But I didn't…"

"There's your Soul Badge," Janine said, looking over one shoulder. "You probably would have beaten me anyways, but the way you are now, it wouldn't have been any fun. I'm just saving us both some pain. If you want to be the Champion, you've got a lot to learn."

Violet stopped, her outstretched hand falling to her side. Janine turned away and didn't look back again. Indigo stood on black coated paws, taking the prized scrap of metal from the gym attendant with a nod of gratitude. He looked at Violet and waited.

It took a moment for her to compose herself. When she turned, a bright, sincere looking smile was stretched naturally across her face. "Lets head back to the Pokemon Center and tell Allison and Piper the good news!"

Indigo took a deep breath. "I don't think so, Violet."

Her smile faltered. She sighed. "Indigo, I…"

"I don't want to hear it," Indigo snarled, true anger flashing through him, leaving guilt in its wake for feeling such a thing towards _Violet_. "We need to clear this up. Right now. Do you want me to stay? Even knowing what I am? If not, I'll leave immediately, no questions asked."

Violet stared at him incredulously for a long moment. "What you _are?_ Indigo…you are a _good person_. I've never doubted that."

"Well perhaps you should," Indigo retorted, a growl in his throat. "I am not the saint you make me out to be, Violet. I've never claimed to be good, or a hero. I was banished to this time for my _crimes_. Or had you forgotten?"

"Crimes?" His dark haired trainer repeated, as though he'd just said something inexcusable. Her violet eyes flashed with something dark as she drew the word out. As though he was at fault for saying such a thing.

As though she didn't believe he had ever committed such a thing.

Indigo growled sharply, his crimson eyes narrowing slightly. With one long step he was directly in front of her, close enough to see the surprise flash through her eyes. He picked her up as effortlessly as if she weighed nothing, which she practically did, and within moments they were outside in the cold rain, far away from any ears that might overhear.

"Do you have any idea some of the things I've done? The people I've hurt? The lives I've all but ruined? You think of me as some kind of hero, Violet, but I'm not. And I never will be." Indigo said sharply, every word precise. Thunder boomed overhead as lightning faded from the roiling clouds. Violets black hair was already starting to soak through. She blinked, stunned by the sudden dowsing and his harsh words.

"But Indigo…" she began uncertainly, "But you _are_ good."

His eyes flashed crimson at this as a new surge of anger swept through him. What would it take to make her _see?_

"No, no, _listen_ to me," Violet said, cringing at his reaction. "You've done bad things. I get that. But everything you did was to prevent someone you loved from being hurt, even though you hated it, every minute of it. You did everything you could, and it just wasn't enough. I can't blame you for that."

"I should have found another way," Indigo growled, "I should have been strong enough to-"

"To _what?_" Violet said exasperatedly, "Let _him_ hurt her? Strong enough to watch her die? I don't think so. You _are_ a good person. And you're _my_ hero, Indigo. You haven't done anything wrong since coming to the future."

Indigo reeled back. "You believe I have committed no crimes? You _excuse_ me for my past sins?" As though it was that simple? As though that was all it took?

Violet didn't say a word. She just nodded as thunder clapped overhead, echoing over the waves in the nearby ocean.

Indigo pulled out her pale arm, twisting it so the underside was facing up.

"Tell me that is not a crime," he said flatly, his voice low. Scars from the brambles so long ago still marked her skin ever so faintly, slightly raised scratches just a few shades paler than her skin. Wounds that had been inflicted because of him.

"Oh, that?" Violet had the nerve to laugh at him. "That was my own idiocy. Not your fault."

"Oh?" Indigo said dangerously. "And that?" He gestured to the pair of round scars just above her elbow. They were more pronounced, deeper marks. From an Arbok she had been protecting _him_ from.

"Bad luck," Violet retorted instantly. "I'm full of that. And I can also blame Karo's wounded pride."

Indigo was silent for a long moment as the rain soaked through his fur, his gaze kept levelly on hers. She knew what he was getting at.

"You didn't mean to hit me with that Dark Pulse, Indigo," she said softly, her violet eyes fervent. "It was not your fault. I'm not mad at you."

"You certainly had Janine fooled. And myself."

Violets face closed off, her eyes becoming guarded. "That had nothing to do with you. It was all me."

"Of course," Indigo snorted, the words dripping with sarcasm. "Completely unrelated to my first criminal act as a murderers mercenary. The timing was simply coincidence."

"No, it's not…it isn't like that," Violet broke off, frustrated. "Look, it's not your fault, alright? Leave it at that."

"No," Indigo growled simply, all the hurt he'd felt the past week from her distance coming back to him at once. "I most certainly will not."

"Indigo," Violet began wearily

"If you blame me, simply say so. I can handle it," Indigo lied angrily, cutting her off.

"It's because I haven't been able to do _anything_!" Violet shouted suddenly, turning on him. "I've been helping you all this time, and for what? I promised I would help you break your curse, and I've done _nothing_. I can't stand it. I feel like I've let you down!"

Indigo stared at her, stunned, as she caught her breath, the flash in her eyes dimming slowly. Thunder boomed overhead. They had already been soaked to the skin before the storm worsened, but now rivulets of water ran from Violets dark hair and down her face.

Indigo closed his eyes in defeat, reminded forcefully what kind of a person Violet was. And he had doubted her. "We're in this together, Violet. For better or worse. Remember that." He looked up at her familiar features. "Come on. Lets get back before the others miss us."

~o~

"Indigo!" Riza sang, throwing her arms around him from behind. "Lets go play! I've been _dying_ to get out, but you're never around anymore."

Indigo sighed, rubbing his temples. He had a mission today. "I can't. Another time, Princess."

"Awww, why not?" Riza complained. She looked up at him with sparkling violet eyes and a quivering bottom lip…a flawless puppy dog pout. Indigo wasn't fooled. He knew the Princesses looks all too well.

"Another time," he repeated again more firmly as he slipped out of her arms. "I have training to do. And besides, don't you have an appointment with the Doctor today?"

The golden haired girl made a face. "I'm not going. I'll go tomorrow. Doctor Camellia has been in an awful mood all morning. I am willing to bet that someone finally worked up the courage to spit in his soup."

"Riza," Indigo sighed, "You really shouldn't-"

"-speak of the great and powerful Doctor Camellia like that?" Riza finished dryly, arching a golden eyebrow. "You sure are around him often these days. Be careful, or I might get jealous."

Indigo knew what she was doing. "No means no, Princess. I'll go with you tomorrow." He turned towards the archway that served as a door, grabbing his ever present cloak. The mountains would be cold this early into spring. Riza didn't say anything, but he could feel her disappointment. He would deal with her later.

He had had another nightmare last night. They were getting worse every time he slept. He shuddered just remembering, fighting back a yawn. He hadn't slept a full night through in nearly a month. The lack of sleep was getting to him, slowly but surely.

But he couldn't afford to take a break. Riza was back to her usual self, almost as though she had never been sick in the first place. The black markings on her arms and neck had faded to a sullen grey, barely visible unless it was night, when they were as dark as ever. Another few weeks, and maybe she wouldn't even need the doctor anymore.

His spirits lifted at that, and Indigo found himself smiling as the sun warmed his face. Things were finally looking up. He suddenly found himself looking forward to the end of this mission, so he could be with Riza for a while. It was true they hadn't spent much time together recently. In fact, he realized, it had been _weeks_. Well, tomorrow would change that. He would set down everything and spend a day simply being with her. The smile continued to play over his face, the first true smile he'd shown in far too long.

"Help! Please, we need a doctor here, immediately!" A rough voiced man gasped as he staggered through the main gates of the castle. He fell to one knee, his armor clanging harshly with the stone. He was coated with ashes and blood, like he'd just come out of a fire. "Please!"

Indigo turned his head, stunned, as people dropped what they were doing to rush towards the injured man. Others were struggling through the gate, collapsing on the stone.

It seemed his day was about to get a lot more complicated.

He had no sooner completed the thought when one final warrior came through the gate, his gait firm and somehow angry. His build was slight compared to the others, and yet he carried a wicked looking blade that looked as though it had been used as a fire poker easily in his left hand, despite it being nearly as long as he was tall.

His armor was scorched black, covered in gouges that looked like claw marks. The courtyard fell silent when he entered.

"What happened here?" A new voice rang out, and Indigo didn't have to turn to know that it was Riza, in her princess mode. She strode forward, the symbol of pride and power, a white gown swirling around her bare ankles. She stood in front of the battered group of warriors, looking like an angel compared to the bloodied men.

She turned to a cringing group of maids. "Get Doctor Camellia. Mayanna too. And I want food and a clean change of clothes for every man here."

"Princess!" The knight in black armor hailed, bowing at the waist. "I bring news from Pershee."

Indigo knew that name. Pershee was a small military outlet city on the borders of Halleden. It would have taken days to travel from the remote town to the castle. He stared in stunned silence, reappraising the battered men. They had traveled that far with their wounds?

"What news bring you?" Riza said crisply, her face staying neutral. Indigo caught the slight widening of her eyes that was her only reaction. She had come to the same realization he had.

The knight reached up and took off his heavy, scorched helmet. Fiery green eyes flashed from a soot stained face that was decidedly female. "Captain Aren of the Reverse Guard, milady," the woman said, bowing a second time. "Pershee was attacked three days ago, along with the neighboring towns of Gretta, Saylio, and Zaphyr. Casualties were high. All military stations were completely wiped out."

"All," Riza repeated, her face paling. "_All_ of them? Who was the enemy?"

Captain Aren looked grim, her young face framed by chin length hair. "Highness. There was only one." She took a deep breath. "We were attacked by Entei. What you see is the remains of Halledens military. We are all that are left."

"_What_?" Riza gasped, stunned out of her mask. Indigo stared, the news hitting him like a hammer. The Volcano fur seemed to become warmer in his pocket, glowing with gleeful fire.

"That's not all, milady," Captain Aren said grimly. "We discovered information about the one you call Doctor Camellia. He is not what he appears…to be." The captains eyes flickered shut, and she fell to the side, landing inches away from her own sword.

Maids and servants rushed forward with stretchers and bandages, shouting to each other as they hid the warriors from view. Riza was staring at the chaos, unblinking.

Indigo felt his spirits fall with dread. It would appear he had spoken to soon.

A storm was coming to Halleden. And he was right in the middle of it.

~o~

Violet ran through the chilly morning air, her breath misting from between her lips. It was cold, but she didn't care. Her heartbeat pounded, sending rushes of warmth from her stomach all the way down to her toes as her arms swung in beat with her legs. Her cheeks were red with cold under fever bright eyes. Violet laughed gustily, stretching her muscles farther to increase her speed.

She rounded a beaten corner in the small town hewn from red rock, headed straight for the wild grasses surrounding the infamous Safari Zone. They stung at her hands, but her legs were protected by jeans. Violet slowed down. Her lungs were burning unpleasantly, but she smiled all the same. Her head felt clearer than it had been in days, her focus clarified by the exercise. She sat down under a small tree at the head of a small, battered training field, breathing in and out.

She sat until her heartbeat slowed to a normal pace, her eyes closed. When the orange light of the sun hit her eyelids she sighed, stretching out her arms.

When she opened her eyes, Sabrina was standing in the middle of the training field, facing the side.

"Gah!" Violet gasped, scrambling backwards until her back hit the tree. Sabrina turned her head impassively, regarding her with ice blue eyes. Her right arm was in a black cast. She looked as though she hadn't slept in days.

She didn't say anything, waiting patiently until Violets' heart stopped trying to come out of her chest. "Hikanashi Violet," the Psychic gym leader greeted, inclining her head. "It hasn't been long enough."

Violets mind whirled at a thousand miles an hour at the sight of the cold eyed woman who had killed her friend. Was she here for Avery? Did she find out her trick somehow, or see it in a vision? A fierce protectiveness tore through her. _Sabrina would not touch Daniels Pokemon._

"I did not come to fight," Sabrina intoned coldly, the force of her will making Violet freeze. She broke into a cold sweat as a huge pressure weighed down on her mind and body. She panicked inside when she discovered she could not move, but all at once the pressure was gone, leaving her gasping.

Violet reached for her Poke balls automatically, only to remember she hadn't brought them on her run. Indigo was still asleep after a long night of training.

She was on her own.

"I did not come here to fight," Sabrina repeated in a bored tone, taking a step towards her. She reached into her pocket with her left hand, making Violet flinch, but she only pulled out a simple, folded piece of blue leather. She tossed it disdainfully on the ground in front of Violet, her expression never changing.

Violet looked up at Sabrina, with her dark, powerful beauty, then back at the leather. She reached out one cautious hand and lifted the flap. Inside was a beaten gold charm, the color of rusty sunsets and the stone of Saffron city. It was faceted like a diamond despite being made out of metal, almost in the shape of a too perfect flower. It was stained with deep crimson streaks that seemed to be part of the metal.

A sudden surge of nausea sent Violet to her knees as the meaning of the item sank in. She threw up in the grass, trying to force the image of the blood stained Marsh badge out of her mind, and the flashes of memory that came with it. _Daniel Knight's golden eyes opened a little wider as the blow hit, forcing blood out of his slightly parted mouth. He fell, and red was everywhere, soaking into the cracks of her memories as her own heart shattered into tiny pieces. Her throat was raw from screaming, and yet she could not hear, drowned in a sea of horrible red death_…

"That is for you," Sabrina said simply, cutting into her pain as she relived the death of her best friend. "Those stains will never come out. Remember what the cost of her life was, so you never forget what pain she will cause in your future. Take it."

Violet stared at the ground, shuddering. She looked slowly at the stained gym badge and flinched. Sabrina spoke before she could. "No. I did not come for that reason alone," she said, her voice never changing. "Violet Hikanashi, run away. Leave this place, and don't look back. You must flee, or die."

"What?" Violet whispered, stunned. Her mind flashed to Karo, and the ghost that had been following them. She stood clumsily. "Why? What's going to happen?"

"Stop being so overdramatic, Sabrina," a new voice scoffed. "You're scaring _me_, for goodness sakes." A beautiful woman with scornful eyes said, while flipping back pale blue hair that draped all the way down to her knees. She strode forward disdainfully in designer leather pants that perfectly accentuated her flawless form. She extended a pale hand towards Violet. "Karen," she introduced diffidently. "You must be that little brat everyone's been in a tizzy about lately. You don't seem like anything special."

"Karen, there is no need to be rude," a large, heavily muscled man rumbled. He wasn't wearing a shirt, despite the weather. Violets eyes widened as Bruno joined the two powerful trainers.

"Sabrina," a thin man with glasses and strange, light hair acknowledged, nodding to the Psychic. She returned his nod curtly. Violets eyes went to a figure sitting in her tree as though he'd been there all along, a hardened warrior with dark, spiky hair and the outfit of a ninja.

Just when she thought her mouth was frozen in an 'O', a huge form dropped out of the sky, landing in the middle of the field so hard it threw up a cloud of dust. The shadow of a large dragon could be seen within the shifting grains of sand. A figure jumped from the beast in an easy, practiced motion, standing tall.

The dust cleared as Lance's cape whipped back and forth in the wind from his landing. The Champion of Kanto stood flanked by the Elite Four, the strongest trainers in either Johto or Kanto.

"You're late," Sabrina said, her eyes crinkling slightly. "What took you so long?"

"Bad winds. There's a storm coming," Lance explained, his eyes searching the clear sky for the shadow of clouds. He noticed Violet for the first time. She froze, her mind disconnecting itself from the rest of her body. The Dragon Tamer returned his Dragonite to its poke ball. "And you might be?"

"I-I'm, uh…" Violet stammered, feeling her face heat up. Lance. The _Champion of Kanto_. Her brain shut down, embarrassingly enough, and she just stared at him blankly, unable to answer.

"Violet," Sabrina supplied, looking at her sideways. "Your self proclaimed successor."

Lance's mouth quirked up at one corner, and for a moment his eyes lightened. "The next Champion, hmm?"

"I-I'm sorry, I just-" Violet stuttered, going red up to her ears, but Lance just laughed at her quietly.

"I'm glad to see that there are still young trainers with the dream to surpass me, Violet," Lance assured her, his red eyes warm. "I look forward to the day we can meet in battle."

"Enough of this," Karen snapped. "Remember why we are here."

Will nodded. "Has anyone been able to contact him?"

"He will not be here," Sabrina sighed. "Not even my Sight can find him."

"We'll have to proceed without Red then," Lance said grimly. "The other gym leaders?"

"All will be here by midnight tonight," Sabrina responded, looking at the lightening sky. "Violet must be gone by that time."

"Why?" Violet asked again, grasping at the one part of the conversation she understood. "What's going on?"

Sabrina's eyes flashed with irritation, but Lance held up a hand to restrain her. He turned to Violet, and her heart pounded. "You look like an intelligent girl. You tell me."

"Um…" Violet said, her mind whirling. Something clicked into place, and she gasped. "Karo. You're all here for him?"

"Very good," Lance approved. His eyes darkened. "Yes, we have assembled to defeat the monster who used to be human. Karo Asuna, the man who tempted fate. He cannot be allowed to hurt innocents any longer. Never again."

"And you must be gone from this city before he arrives," Sabrina interjected, her ice blue eyes sharp. "If you do not leave, the ghost will change hosts. Your mind would die, and he would steal away your existence. If that happens, your Pokemon will protect you from us. As will the restless spirits of Lavender town. To put it simply," Sabrina spat, "…if you remain, all will be lost. The ghost would realize that its trainer truly was dead and go on a rampage, killing hundreds."

Karo Asuna. Violet had never heard his last name before. She looked up at Sabrina's cold eyes. Without a word, she picked up the Marsh badge from the ground, only flinching slightly. "Ok," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I'll go. You…you all can take care of it, right?"

"Don't worry, kid," Karen grinned sharply. "We have the element of surprise. This Karo will never see us coming."

"The Elite Four will crush this enemy into the earth," Bruno promised, flexing his arms.

Koga smiled softly, twirling a senbon around his fingertips. "Childs play."

"We will defend Kanto," Will agreed, the light glinting off his goggles.

Lance clenched his fist, his eyes shut as he remembered Lavender town. When he opened them, it was like looking into the sun. "The Elite Four will stand with every gym leader in the Kanto region. Karo will stand no chance against our might combined. Tonight…we destroy our opponent!"

~o~

"What's been wrong with you lately, Indigo?" Riza demanded softly, her violet eyes worried. "Ever since my Pokemon…you've been different. I just don't get it. I tried to give you time, but _this_…"

"Riza," Indigo said, pained. "You can't do this. You just _can't_."

Riza Calariam glared at him with the full force of her anger. She stabbed a finger at him. "Look at yourself! Your eyes are always dark, like you never sleep, and you don't smile anymore. Even the way you talk has changed! I'm worried about you, idiot!"

Indigo stared at her in stunned silence during her outburst. He had never considered how his own state would affect Riza. He frowned. It wouldn't do to worry her. "My apologies, Princess, I didn't realize I had worried you," he said, bowing slightly.

Riza slapped him, hard enough to _really_ hurt. "Don't do that. Don't talk like him," she snarled, every word precise. Her eyes were still concerned even as her voice shook with anger. "You heard Captain Aren as well as I. That man is not Doctor Camellia. He's some kind of imposter. You need to get over your weird hero worship and see the truth."

"Hero…worship?" Indigo repeated numbly, anger growing in the pit of his stomach. She thought he was with him so often because of _hero worship?_

"And that raises the question," Riza continued, "-if that man is not the true Doctor Camellia, the famous medic from another land, then who is he? And where does this information about the Nightwalker fit in?"

Indigo blanched. The Nightwalker was the stupid title Doctor Camellia had given _him_. Somehow it had spread to the locals, and he had become something of a legend. It wasn't surprising, considering how far across the country his work carried him, and how powerful his Pokemon had become. The mysterious man in a grey cloak who wandered the country seeking rare Pokemon and items, letting none stand in his way…

No, it was best if he didn't tell her. If he did, he would have to admit to working for Doctor Camellia, and explain the reason _why_…

…and then she would banish the doctor, or something along those lines, and die for it. Yes, the evil would be gone, but that evil was the only one who could save her.

"Riza," he said again, as though her name was something precious. "Forget the…Nightwalker for now. You can't just confront Doctor Camellia about this. He's dangerous. I don't want him to hurt you."

Riza looked up at him with something akin to surprise. Her eyes softened and her expression became unbearably sweet. "I forget sometimes," she whispered, stretching up so she could put her arms around his neck. "How much you are to me I mean." She took a deep breath. "But Indigo, I _have_ to do this. My father and mother have already dismissed the captains report. They won't do anything. If this man is really someone else…well, I need to hear his explanation at least, before I decide what to do."

Indigo closed his eyes, a gesture of defeat. He wasn't entirely surprised at her decision. But he couldn't shake the feeling that everything was going to change once more. And he didn't know if he could do anything to stop it.

He met her gaze levelly, a new, tired determination taking form within him. "Then I'll go with you," he said, resigned. "We'll do this together."

An expression of such love and light spread over her face he felt like he was staring at an angel. Part of him cringed back from the goodness inside her, reminded all to well of his own stained soul, even as he leaned forward to capture her lips with his. Indigo slid his arms around her back to pull Riza closer to him as she sighed with pleasure, her lips unbelievably warm and soft against his own. It felt too good to be true, too good to be his.

But even as he kissed her, Indigo's hands were shaking with fear for what was to come.

~o~

"_No way_!" Allison exclaimed loudly, only to be shushed by everyone in the room. She glared at them balefully. "You met _Lance?_" she continued in an a hushed whisper, her eyes never leaving Violets. "And you _didn't_ get his autograph for me?"

"Was he terrifying?" Piper threw in, his eyes wide and awestruck.

"Who is Lance?" Indigo complained, irritated at being left out. The name was familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

"Lance is only the Champion of the entire Kanto region," Allison said, pulling an entire binder from her pack. "He's insanely tough, good looking, _single_, and super cool. Any questions?"

Indigo studied the pictures of the spiky haired man. "Why is he wearing a cape?"

"Because _capes_ are _cool!_" Allison explained as though it should have been obvious. "Haven't you ever wanted to wear a cape?"

Indigo pictured himself standing on a cliff while the wind blew a stylish mini-cape around his shoulders. "…not particularly."

"Guys!" Violet complained, for the third time. "Yes I met Lance, but that's not important!" Allison looked as though she might have a heart attack from such blasphemy, but Violet continued. "Listen, Karo is coming _here_. He'll be here sometime after midnight, and we have to be gone!" the normally quiet girl shouted. She looked away, not meeting their eyes. "I-if we're not, bad things are going to happen. I spoke with Sabrina again."

Complete silence followed her pronouncement as everyone, even Indigo, stared at her with wide eyes. Her Lucario recovered first. "You are…certain then?"

"Mm," Violet said, nodding her head. Her expression was so conflicted it almost hurt to see. Indigo stood with a small half smile. It was so like Violet. She wanted to be there. She wanted to fight, and most of all, she wanted to protect the people she cared about. Indigo might not like Sabrina. But he trusted her powerful vision of the future.

He couldn't let Violet stay, for that exact reason.

_I see the girl with violet eyes, warrior. _

"There's nothing for it then," Indigo said simply, putting a paw on her shoulder. "We'll leave."

Violet looked up at him, and for the first time in her life, she almost looked helpless. "I don't know what to do," she confided in him in a whisper. "I can't shake the feeling that I'm missing something. Like there's something important I've forgotten about all of this."

_She is going to die in front of your eyes. And you aren't strong enough to stop it!_

"Pack your bags," Indigo said, turning to their two human companions. "We leave at dusk." He met Violets eyes and saw himself mirrored there, a boy turned Lucario. "We will be fine, Violet," he promised her, and saw the flash in her eyes at his words, revealing what she had truly been worried about. He sighed, then stood with a slight smile.

Sabrina's words may have been true once. But Indigo had sworn a promise within his own heart. He would be strong enough to protect her. He would be strong enough so he would never have to lose anyone again. With a stab of pain, he remembered Riza. His heart ached with the time it had been since he had last seen her beautiful smile.

"Violet," he said simply, turning once more to his dark haired trainer. Allison and Piper had gone, presumably to pack their things. She looked up at her name, the girl who had been forced to bear far too much. She was beautiful too, in her own way. He made a decision right then as he looked at her. "Sit down. Let me tell you what happened next in the war for Halleden."

~o~

"We know you aren't who you claim to be," Riza declared with strong eyes. "Doctor Camellia."

Indigo gritted his teeth, waiting for the storm to come. His body felt cold. This was a bad idea. Doctor Camellia looked up at their entrance from his work with something akin to surprise.

"Is that so?" he murmured, looking from her to Indigo, who was standing off to the side. He kept his head down, not daring to look up.

Doctor Camellia did not deny her accusation. "What gave you this idea?

"Captain Aren of the Reverse Guard," Riza said, her head held high. "She discovered an eyewitness who described the true Doctor Camellia." The raven haired man still did not say anything. Riza continued, almost desperately. "Who are you? Why have you come? And why conceal your identity?"

He stood easily, and Indigo noticed for the first time that he was not wearing his lab coat. The coat had done much to conceal his strength. He was lean and strong, more like a warrior than a doctor. He spoke, soft amusement in his voice. "Riza Calariam, false princess of Halleden," he addressed calmly, still not denying his deception. "You who live in darkness and yearn for the light. Who do you think I am?"

"Tell me!" Riza commanded, fear growing in her eyes. Indigo didn't blame her. Unease had started to coil in his stomach as the man they had known as Doctor Camellia addressed them as a snake does its prey. Almost as though they were something to _eat_.

"Mayanna, if you please," he intoned softly, and out of nowhere the empty eyed brunette was behind Indigo. She twisted his arm into a painful lock with strength he hadn't known she had, forcing his head onto the cold stone floor.

"_No, NO!"_ Indigo shouted desperately, trying to free himself as all his fears began to come true. As he struggled, Doctor Camellia walked purposefully towards Riza, every step deliberately slow. She stared into his eyes like a bird trapped in the gaze of a snake, unable to move.

"Would you like to know, _princess_?" the man asked simply, raising an eyebrow. "Who I am? And," he said as he stepped directly in front of her, "…what I'm going to do to you?"

"Leave her alone!" Indigo snarled, trying to kick and hit his way free. Lancing pain shot down his arm and he cried out hoarsely, stunned into immobility.

"Try and escape and I'll have to break your arm," Mayanna said in a monotone, her words a deadly threat.

Riza stared at the mans cruel features for a long moment. Something in her eyes changed, becoming more defiant. "Yes," she answered simply, looking very alone. "Tell me."

His dark eyes gleamed with approval. He leaned forward, tilting his head to whisper in her ear. As he spoke, Riza's back became stiff with surprise, her head snapping up. Indigo struggled again, even knowing that it was useless. He couldn't _hear_. What was he telling her?

"That isn't possible," Riza whispered, as the man pulled away. She didn't react, just stared straight ahead. Indigo couldn't see the expression on her face.

"Are you really so surprised?" Doctor Camellia asked, before laughing softly. "Poor deluded princess. You _didn't_ know, did you?"

"You're lying!" Riza shouted, suddenly free of her immobility. "That can't be true!"

"Are you angry, princess?" Doctor Camellia asked with an arrogant smile. "Scary. But what can you about it, I wonder?" He reached out to pick up a lock of her golden hair, studying it thoughtfully . "You who have nothing to lose. And also no weapons to fight. Your Pokemon are dead, your hero trapped. I could kill you now, and no one would be able to stop me."

"Leave her _alone_ you slimy, arrogant-" Indigo's words were cut off by a choked cry of pain as he saw stars.

Doctor Camellia ignored him as completely as though he wasn't even in the room. "How does it feel, Princess? To be all alone, with no one who could save you? To have your life shattered in front of your eyes?"

"Why?" Riza asked. "What do you get from all this? What use is there continuing this pointless cycle of revenge?"

"What use?" Doctor Camellia considered this with something akin to surprise. "My dear, have you never experienced hatred? No," he finished, sounding almost disappointed. "I suppose not. I'll have _that_ remedied soon enough."

"What do you mean by that?" Riza asked, her voice suddenly low and furious. "Are you going to make me hate you? It won't work. I know who you are, and I could not hate one so pitiful!"

He studied her for a long moment with onyx eyes. "No. True hatred can only come from broken trust. You will hate _him."_

The doctor was pointing a pale finger at Indigo. His eyes flashed with sudden horror as he realized what the man was about to do. "No, don't-!"

"Indigo?" Riza said with surprise, turning to face him. She grinned suddenly, barking out a laugh. "Not possible. Indigo would never do anything to break my trust."

Doctor Camellia's eyes were filled with sudden humor. "Oh?"

"That's right," Riza continued, oblivious to Indigo's panic. "He's my best friend, and the only person I've ever really been able to open up to. We've been through so much together I can't even imagine my life without him anymore."

Doctor Camellia laughed out loud. "This is really too good," he said, his eyes shining. "You don't _know?_"

Riza blinked, caught off guard by his laughter. "What?"

"Don't listen to him, Princess, he's ly-"

"Indigo has been gone often lately, has he not?" Doctor Camellia verified. "Where do you think he's been going?"

"I never meant to-"

"Indigo?" Riza asked, her eyebrows furrowing with confusion. "What is he talking about?"

"You see, Riza, Indigo has been working for _me_," Doctor Camellia laughed. "He is the Nightwalker, named for the leader of the rebellion twenty years ago."

"What?" Riza repeated, her eyes becoming cloudy with confusion. "No, that can't be-"

"For his first assignment he killed a young girls Pokemon," Doctor Camellia continued, heedless of Indigo's renewed struggles. "He suffocated it in its sleep and dug up its body later to bring to me. He lied to you, Riza, and he's been lying ever since."

"_You_ are the liar," Riza gasped, whirling, but he cut her off again, smoothly.

"He's been missing most days, hasn't he? And his Pokemon are far more powerful than ever before. How do you think he was able to train so effectively?"

"He's been…training," Riza finished lamely.

"With no steady training partner? Without leaving the area? Really Princess, how did you believe that?" The doctor chided, as though speaking to a child. "Why don't you ask him? He would never lie to you, would he?"

"…Indigo?" Riza asked after a long moment, her voice very small. "It isn't true, is-" Her violet eyes widened as her face went pale. Riza fell to her knees, clutching one hand over her heart. The black markings under her skin darkened like midnight, pulsing savagely. She gasped like she was in pain.

"Indigo _lied_," Doctor Camellia said, leaning down to say the words in her ear from behind. "He's a murderer and a thief. He did it all for you, you know. I told him I would stop your treatments if he didn't. I instructed him to lie about my lab-" here Riza's eyes widened with shock, "-and to become my tool, and all so he could save you. He sacrificed his own state of mind to save _you_," Doctor Camellia said softly, and all at once Riza's eyes bled black.

"_Liar!_" Riza shrieked, the black markings under skin twisting with savage joy. Her eyes lost all color, becoming midnight pools of inhuman power. "He wouldn't!"

"You know that I'm telling the truth," Doctor Camellia said, drawing back. "It was all my fault. If it weren't for me, his eyes wouldn't have become so dark. He wouldn't have stained his own soul for your sake."

"Shut up! Just _shut up!" _

"How does it feel Princess?" the man repeated, his voice menacing. "To be alone." Riza's blackened eyes snapped open.

Indigo's eyes caught the expression of triumph flash over Doctor Camellia's face, and in that instant he realized what he was doing. "Riza, he's trying to provoke you! Don't let him-"

"Too late," Mayanna said simply, her eyes trained on the blonde girl. "You were almost in time."

"I said to shut up!" Riza howled, her voice echoing with two timbres as her skin lost all color aside from the black tattoos writhing under her skin. "_Monster!_ You did this!" For an instant Indigo thought she was talking to him, but she pointed her finger directly at Doctor Camellia. Power exploded from her human body, sending gusts of wind that nearly blinded him across the room. Laughter echoed from the dark corners of the room, and Indigo became aware of shining eyes from the shadows.

Doctor Camellia smiled.

He _smiled_.

"Riza!" Indigo shouted, agonized, but it was too late. Ghosts of all types appeared from thin air by the hundreds, their eyes red and malevolent as they whirled above the blonde girls head in a sickening tornado. She screamed, her head thrown up towards the ceiling, and the ghosts attacked the man standing in the center of the great room in a dizzying cacophony of dark power streaked with red as deep as blood.

Even as the attack blazed towards him with all the power of eaten pain and dark screams, Doctor Camellia did not seem afraid. He stood, facing the fierce malevolent beam levelly, as though it was nothing more than a gust of wind.

The instant before the attack would have hit, he raised one hand. For a brief instant it glowed with fire. He sliced at the attack with a back handed slap, and Riza's ghostly blast was turned away into the floor to his right. It gouged deep into the stone, creating a long streak of destruction.

Indigo stared with wide eyes, filled with fear and awe as Riza shrieked her fury. The ghost Pokemon attacked again, striking with claws and teeth by the hundreds, fading in and out of existence at their leaders behest. It was an attack so full of hate and power Indigo didn't think _anything_ could have survived it.

But Doctor Camellia did. His charcoal eyes smoldered with firelight as he spun and ducked, dodging every attack effortlessly, occasionally striking out with a heat distorted hand. A large Gengar appeared in front of him with bared teeth and a Shadow Ball, but the man simply pushed a hand _through_ it, making the normally intangible ghost shriek with pain.

"He isn't human," Indigo breathed with horror, watching as the battle unfolded in front of him. Doctor Camellia wielded fire as though it was sword, destroying everything that came in his path. Riza's ghosts were-incredibly-being defeated, one by one.

"Neither is she," Mayanna said simply. "My lords research has perfected the technique. Human beings have the potential to wield the power of Pokemon, but by doing so they give up their very essence. She is very like him, in many ways."

"What are you talking about?" Indigo demanded, his eyes swiveling up to look at the empty eyed maid. She was staring at the battle with a small smile on her face.

"The Pokemon experiment," she said simply. "Doctor Camellia's research. The true Doctor Camellia that is. Using the DNA found within Pokemon eggs during a certain stage of their development it is possible to create a substance which binds human DNA into a different pattern, altering a persons abilities. It is extremely dangerous. And painful."

"And he did that to _himself_?" Indigo said with revulsion, trying not to be sick just imagining it.

"No," Mayanna said, surprising him. "It was done to him as a child. By the true Doctor Camellia, before his…unfortunate death."

"Demon in human guise!" Riza shouted, her arms bending in front of her at cruel angles, as though she was pulling puppet strings. "Your heart was human once but no longer!" The ghost Pokemon retreated towards the shadows and suddenly the light in the room dimmed. The shadows spread and grew, filling the entire room with perfect darkness, broken only by the hundreds of pairs of gleaming eyes. Flickering bursts of purple fire shimmered dully in the blackness as countless Shadow Balls were formed.

Shrieks and echoing laughter haunted the room as all the attacks were fired at once with an otherworldly boom. Fire exploded from the center of the room, revealing the surprised faces of the ghost Pokemon just before they screamed with pain. Doctor Camellia stood in the center of it all, his hands in his pockets. He raised his head and his black eyes seemed darker somehow. "Really, Princess, is that all you've got?" he mocked her, standing up straighter as embers fell around him. "I expected better. You are my greatest success after all."

Her eyes widened with surprise and then anger, murderous and inhuman. She raised her pale arms like a conductor leading an orchestra, and battered ghosts rose slowly from the shadows once more, their hate filled eyes focused on the King of Fire.

"Mayanna, if the Princess strikes again, kill him," Doctor Camellia said calmly. Indigo flinched as cold steel touched the skin of his throat in an instant at his words. The Princess hesitated, her arms frozen above her head.

Indigo's heartbeat thundered in his ears as time seemed to freeze for an agonizingly long moment. Riza lowered her arms slowly, her eyes regaining their natural color. The doctor smiled.

"Good. Now for your friends."

Hesitantly, the ghosts in the room looked at each other, unsure of what to do. One by one they melted back into the shadows, until the cold chill was gone from the room entirely. Riza's body shook, and she fell to her knees, completely drained. Tears streamed from her unblinking violet eyes in a constant flow as the horror of her actions caught up to her.

"Congratulations, my dear," Doctor Camellia applauded. "You have successfully destroyed the final barrier between your humanity and the Pokemon experiment. It is now impossible for you to ever go back, now that you have tasted your own power. Only one thing remains to be done." He took a step forward, making Riza flinch. It was then that Indigo noticed the syringe in his left hand, filled to the brim with black liquid.

"_Don't you dare_," Indigo growled, trying futilely to break free of Mayanna's grip. The steel pressed harder against his throat, drawing a thin line of blood. He froze, raging at his utter helplessness inwardly as Doctor Camellia walked towards the beaten girl.

He could do nothing but watch.

"This is a concentrated portion of the serum which altered your cognitive abilities, giving you sway over those with similar powers, namely, ghost types," the raven haired man explained as he walked. "I used this substance on you before I knew of your curse in an effort to change your DNA into a partially mutated form, without realizing it would speed up the curse itself. If you had actually been 'sick', there would have been no complications. As it was, my lack of information nearly led to your death, which would have been fatal for my own plans."

He continued, getting closer with every word. "I was lucky. With all my medical knowledge and past experience, it was simple luck which allowed you to survive, _and_ to have your abilities manifested in this form. But it would seem the fates were with me. So you are probably wondering, why bother to enhance your power at all?"

He stopped in front of the nearly comatose girl and sat back on his feet so he was at eye level. He held up the syringe in front of her eyes. "One more dose of this will destroy the sentient portions of your brain, starting with emotions. Your mind will fight back, drawing on all of its resources before it snaps, leaving you insane, powerful, and unstoppable. Halledens false princess will destroy everything in sight, starting with this castle."

Indigo's eyes widened with horror, and the blade was pressed closer to his neck in response. But the mad doctor wasn't finished just yet.

"That's not even the best part," he said when Riza didn't respond. "When you turn into a monster, I will be there to stop you, after you've done enough damage. I will reveal that it was the King and Queen who authorized a strange doctor to experiment on their daughter in an attempt to gain power, and the people will rebel. The kingdom will be overthrown once again, the King dethroned and killed, and only then will I step forward as the newest ruler of this land. I will destroy my greatest enemy in mind, body, and soul, and complete my revenge for the murder of my sister, Kylara. And it all depends on you, Princess."

His final, almost loving words were what snapped Riza out of her lethargy. She stared at the syringe and her eyes flickered with fear. "I heard your family was killed in a-an _accident_," she whispered, her voice so hushed he could barely hear it. "Are you saying it was my fathers fault?"

"You know the answer to that," the man chided. "You know I'm telling the truth. Just as you know I told the truth about dear Indigo." Riza flinched, averting her eyes. His voice softened just a bit. "Let it be over Princess. You lose. You don't even have the strength to move anymore. Accept it."

As he spoke, he moved the curtain of gold from her neck, baring pale skin. He pushed lightly on the syringe, spraying a thin stream of liquid into the air, before moving the needle into position on the artery of her throat.

"And so the world burned," Doctor Camellia murmured. He slipped the needle under her skin.

"No, no, _NO!" _Indigo shouted, not even caring as the blade bit into his neck. Mayanna's auburn eyes widened with surprise as he fought, agonized. "_You will not touch her!_" He shouted again, his eyes flaming. "Not while I still breathe!"

Doctor Camellia looked up with surprise, his finger hesitating on the plunger. He laughed quietly, his sides shaking. "You…you never cease to surprise me, Indigo. And what will you do? You can't escape without breaking your arm, and even then your throat will be slit."

"Then let it break," Indigo hissed, glaring hatefully at the raven haired man. "If I bleed I will take you out before I die. Now, _leave her ALO-"_

Indigo's words were cut off by a thunderous roar that echoed throughout the stone throne room, so loud it hurt his ears. A torrential blast of fire smashed through one of the stained glass windows high above, sprinkling them with multicolored glass. Doctor Camellia jumped back from Riza's body as a chunk of stone struck the ground where he had been sitting, missing Riza by inches.

The roar shattered the air once again, as powerful and consuming as an erupting volcano. Red flashed under the windows as a torrent of flame struck the stone walls, making dust and bits of rock rain down. The Volcano fur throbbed in his pocket.

Entei had come.

"Mayanna, kill the boy now," Doctor Camellia ordered, his head whipping around. He replaced the syringe in his pocket, his hands and arms shimmering with fire. "I'll-"

He never got to finish. A hole was blasted through the wall, and the majestic silhouette of an enraged legendary could be seen through the smoke. Entei's eyes glowed red through the haze of debris.

"_Now_, Mayanna!" He shouted, his eyes full of _fear_, an emotion Indigo had never seen on his features before. Mayanna tightened her grip on the blade, using her other hand to yank his head back by the hair, exposing his neck fully. Before she could slash down, the brown haired girl was thrown through the air by a massive swing of Entei's claws.

She hit the wall with a sickening crunch, her arm bleeding from massive gouges. Doctor Camellia's black eyes flashed with rage as he threw a bolt of flame at the legendary dog. Heat distorted the air in its passing, but Entei didn't even flinch at the blow. It turned its head, and fixed its eyes on him.

Doctor Camellia dove to the side as a Flamethrower seared past him, burning the edges of his shirt. He rolled, dodging the Entei's two front legs as it used Stomp where he had been on the floor, cracking stone. He was on his feet in an instant, his hands glowing with fire, but Entei released a Fire Spin from gaping jaws, forcing him to dodge once again.

Indigo struggled to his feet, barely registering the joy of freedom. He ran to Riza's side, tripping once over a fallen chunk of rock. He reached her comatose form as a new blast of light lit up the room behind him. "Riza," he gasped, shaking her unresponsive shoulder. "Riza!"

"Change of plans," Doctor Camellia ground out, pulling out two Poke balls. "Riza!" He addressed, his voice commanding, and her eyes flickered with light. "I will have my revenge, Princess," he promised her. "You will come to me of your own free will. I will attack Halleden until you submit. When you want the violence to end, when you want true peace to spread across the land, _then_ you will come to me. Until then…"

A flash of light lit up the room as he opened his Poke ball. He disappeared as a Flamethrower tore through his shadow, and Indigo caught a fleeting glimpse of a dragon flying through the air, out the hole the Entei had torn in the wall. It roared with rage, bounding after him. Entei stared at the sky, and shrieked in fury.

"There it is!" A new voice rang out, and Indigo turned to see Captain Aren wielding her massive sword, flanked by three armored soldiers. Her green eyes flashed with anger as she pointed her weapon at Entei.

"You have taken far too much from this land. You will not have this as well! Drive it out! Avenge our comrades!" She shouted, her battle cry echoed by her men. The captain ran forward, her sword held low to the ground, scraping against the stone occasionally in a flurry of sparks.

Entei turned to this new threat. It bared its fangs, rumbling a challenge as Captain Aren advanced. Its muscles bunched before it leapt towards her, fangs and claws extended as Captain Aren swung her sword.

~o~

Violet looked up at the starry night sky, barely broken by dark grey clouds. She shivered, wishing she had remembered to bring a jacket.

"You okay?" Allison called from high above, wheeling in a circle on her Aerodactyl. Violet waved, grinning ruefully.

"Cold! But I'll be fine!"

Indigo pulled his paws back from the waves lapping around Gyarados's thick, scaled body, screwing up his nose with distaste. "You should have brought a jacket," he commented, glaring at the cold water.

"I forgot," Violet admitted, shivering again. They bobbed on the sea as Mr. Fin glided through the water, his tail undulating behind them. The lights of Fuchsia city winked on the horizon as they distanced themselves from the shore. "How are you holding up?"

"It certainly is preferable to flying," Indigo admitted after a pause. "Although I can't say I enjoy this."

Violet nodded, not surprised. Allison and Piper were flying above with their bags, while she and Indigo stayed below. Violet would have preferred to fly as well, but Indigo hated it, and he flat out refused to be in his Poke ball while they made their escape in case something happened. After a short adventure in the Safari Zone, Mr. Fin had learned Surf, solving both problems.

"I wish…" Violet trailed off, sighing. "I wish I had a donut. All this stupid tension made me hungry."

"You want stupid things," Indigo said, rolling his eyes. "I just want us to get out of here without mishap."

"With sprinkles," Violet continued firmly. "And crème filling. Ahhh…" she moaned, her voice full of longing.

Indigo snorted at her. His ears perked up, and suddenly he was tense. "Something is coming," he reported, activating his Aura vision. "It appears to be our faithful tail."

Violet hissed, straining her weak human eyes as she tried to see what he saw. "How long?" She whispered, keeping her voice hushed.

"It's keeping its distance," Indigo said, sending a surge of relief through Violet. "But don't get complacent. Keep your guard up, Violet."

Violet leaned against Mr. Fins head with a sigh. There was precious little she _could_ do if it came to a fight. Indigo had been the only one to even come close to catching their tail. A shiver of fear spun down Violets spine. What if their stalker really _was_ from Karo? He had the allegiance of the ghost Pokemon of Lavender town, didn't he? Not to mention, a voice in her head pointed out, who else would it be?

"What in Layla's name…" Indigo gasped, his arms tensing up. He grimaced slightly and shook his head, as though to be rid of a thought. "Something just took down our tail. I…I can't see it clearly, but…"

"Wait. What?" Violet demanded, sitting up. "Who was it? Are they on our side?"

"I don't know," her Lucario said grimly. "But Violet, it's coming straight for us!"

"Heeeey!" Allison called out, her Aerodactyl wheeling a bit closer. "What's going on? Is there something wrong?"

"No," Indigo said after a moment. "Not for us. It's headed for-!"

Allison shrieked, the noise ringing in the still night air. Her Aerodactyl roared, the sound high pitched as though it was in pain. Violet looked up just in time to see the prehistoric creature writhe in the air, slashing at an invisible enemy. Its eyes were flat and dull.

"Rocky, snap out of it!" Allison ordered, holding onto the leather riding strap for dear life. Her Aerodactyl's eyes focused on her. It bared its teeth, shrieking its fury, before spinning madly in the air, sending a stream of equipment out behind it to splash into the black water.

"Help!" Allison screamed. Her Aerodactyl contorted its body and bit at her legs with snapping jaws. She pulled them back just in time as Piper shrieked wordlessly.

"It _possessed_ her Aerodactyl," Indigo reported, stunned. "Violet, we need to get up there!"

"I'm on it!" Violet shouted, pulling out a Poke ball. "Ditto, lets go!"

Her Ditto exploded from its Poke ball, already in the form of a Fearow. Violet threw her leg over the bird Pokemons neck just before it pushed off Mr. Fins scales, sending them rocketing into the air. Wind streamed past her face as they flew nearly straight up, past the out of control Aerodactyl.

"Make it a good one!" Violet shouted over the wind. They peaked out, high above the glittering ocean, weightless for a long moment. Then they were falling in a dizzyingly sharp dive, straight for the rogue Pokemon.

An instant before they would have collided, her Ditto veered to the side, turning just enough so that its wicked claws could rake down the unprotected Aerodactyl's side. It shrieked with pain and anger, wheeling to face this new opponent, but they were already out of reach, banking to the right.

"Don't hurt Rocky! It's not his-" Allisons scream was cut off as the Aerodactyl beat its wings strongly, making her head snap back. It followed them, its red jaws gaping under empty eyes. Violet looked over her shoulder as its massive wingspan brought it closer and closer with every stroke.

"Ditto, up and around!" Violet shouted frantically. The Fearow under her called a war cry, snapping its wings out. They hit the leading wind, and suddenly Violet was looking _up_, her vision tilting backwards slowly as they flew upside down over the Aerodactyl.

"Good one!" Violet cheered as they righted themselves behind the surprised Pokemon, wheeling away. "Now, do you remember that funny looking bird we fought yesterday?"

Her Fearow turned to look at her with sharp, glittering eyes, and then the rough, straggly feathers under her hands were gone, replaced with slick, almost oily smoothness. The Pokemon Violet was riding was also suddenly much smaller. She took a deep breath, and let go.

"Hydro pump!" Violet shouted, a final order as she fell towards the water below. "And don't miss!" She had a final parting view of her Ditto turned Pelliper dousing the Rock type with a massive spray of water, making Allison splutter. Then she turned slowly in midair, and the ocean spread out in her field of vision.

"Oh gosh," Violet breathed, her heartbeat speeding up quickly. The black water was capped with tiny, lapping bits of white as far as the eye could see, getting inexorably closer. Wind howled around her ears, chilling her to the bone as her stomach dropped and lurched sickeningly. She saw rather than heard Indigo cry out with shock as he stepped to the edge of Mr. Fins body, unable to do anything as she fell.

When she got close enough to the water to see the shape of the waves the breath was crushed from her body as talons gripped around her waist. Her momentum was reversed as powerful wings beat the air around her, rippling the water below. And then she was dropped _again_. This time her scream was cut short as she landed on Ditto/Pidgeots neck, perfectly upright.

"You little…"Violet threatened with a growl. Her Ditto huffed in an odd, bird approximation for a laugh, and turned gracefully on one wingtip, angling back towards the enraged Aerodactyl. It huffed, its labored breathing misting the freezing salt tinged air, clearly angered.

Aerodactyl's eyes gleamed maroon. It spread its wings and roared over Allison's shriek of warning. The ocean roiled beneath them as the depths were churned by some unseen force. Mossy boulders broke the surface, outlined with light.

"A-ancient power?" Violet squeaked, her eyes going wide. "Allison!" she wailed as her Pidgeot wove between the hurtling stones. "_Why?!_"

"I thought it was cool at the time! Shut up!"

Violets retort was cut off as the Aerodactyl swung low, slashing at them in close range. Pidgeot morphed into a Yanmega, increasing suddenly in speed to dodge. Violet's hands slipped as her grip on the feathers was replaced with slick armored skin. She squeaked as she scrambled for a grip, terrified at the idea of falling again, however irrational.

Her Ditto changed back into a Pidgeot, crooning anxiously at her as she gasped, trying to slow down her heartbeat. It was at that moment that the Aerodactyl struck with a Crunch attack, its jaws clamping down on Pidgeots neck.

The bird Pokemon shrieked, transforming from Pidgeotto, to Altaria, to Staraptor, to Swellow in quick succession, but the Aerodactyl's jaws stayed in position, crushing the Ditto's throat. Violet batted at it with her fists, yelling, but it didn't even notice her. Her Ditto became soft under her hands again, it's form shrinking…

"NO!" Violet shouted, sudden fear making her voice desperate. If Ditto turned into something small it would be bit in _half_. She gritted her teeth. "Return!" She shouted, swallowing her fear as she pressed the small button on her Poke ball. It was only a little water after all.

She started to fall. The Aerodactyl's eyes focused on _her_, and Violet realized her mistake. "Oh _crap!_" Violet shouted, her arms wind milling as the prehistoric Pokemon dove for her, claws outstretched as Allison screamed at it to stop.

A keening cry started off low, gaining in strength like an incoming missile. The Aerodactyl was struck to the side, throwing Allison off. She hung onto the leather riding strap, shrieking as she swung in midair. Violet continued to fall, her eyes wide as she watched a familiar Staraptor battling the rogue Aerodactyl.

"Roy," Violet said with awe. How had he known? And on top of that… "Aren't you forgetting something?!" Violet shouted angrily, falling faster and faster.

"Violet!" Indigo called, and the dark haired girl realized how close to the water they had been. She turned and saw Indigo's stunned face a bare twenty feet away as she hit the water hard, her path lit by bubbles in the black water.

All sound ceased. Violet raised her hand on front of her face as the frigid water played flirtatiously with her dark hair. She looked up and realized she didn't know what way that was.

Something hard caught her, streaming forward in a powerful rush. Violets head broke the surface and she gasped suddenly, choking for air.

"Violet!" Indigo said again, is voice tight with worry. He was kneeling on a rock that broke the surface of the water, one of many. Violet shuddered, unable to answer for a long moment as she clung to Mr. Fins scales.

"Heh…two for two, Mr. Fin," Violet whispered, hugging her starter as she remembered Cerulean cave. She turned her eyes to the sky, where Roy still battled. That jerk. "Indigo. We're not going to get anywhere like this. We need to get rid of the ghost, not battle its host."

"You're right," Indigo agreed, relief lighting his crimson eyes. "But how?"

Violets Moon ball started to shake. Avery flashed out in a stream of black, landing on one hand. She stood shakily, staring up at the sky. She trilled softly, putting her hands together, aimed at the distant fighters.

"She says she…knows how!" Indigo translated with shock. "She claims she can separate the Gastly from Allison's Aerodactyl!"

"Avery?" Violet confirmed in a small voice, her hair dripping down her face. She shivered at the penetrating cold and had to force herself to continue. "Can you?"

Avery trilled in confirmation, her eyes never leaving the sky. She glowed with black fire, a stronger version of her usual Psychic. She focused, her hands shimmering with dark power. Beads of sweat broke out on her body. She shook with effort, her tiny body unable to contain the power she was trying to use.

"Avery, if it's too much you don't have to-"

Avery called out in a continuous high C, exploding with _white_. She grew, her form becoming more graceful as her arms and legs elongated. Her bangs split, revealing calm crimson eyes. "Lia," Avery trilled in a deeper voice, sounding pleased.

An arc of dark Psychic power burst from her hands, streaming directly towards the Aerodactyl above. It hit, but passed _through_ the prehistoric Pokemon. It brought a dark shape with it, sending it flying.

"We did it!" Violet cheered, hugging her panting Kirlia. "_You_ did it, Avery!"

"Violet," Indigo warned, sending her gaze back to the sky. Allison's Aerodactyl was falling, completely unconscious. Roy's Staraptor reared back with surprise, before streaking after it, drawing its wings in close. It caught the Aerodactyl a bare fifty feet above the rock strewn waves, beating hard to keep aloft.

"Allison! Recall Rocky!" Roy shouted, surprisingly loud even though he was so far up. "I'll catch you!"

"N-no!" Allison shrieked, hanging on to her strap for dear life. "I _can't_!"

"Allison, trust me!"

"You dropped Violet!" Allison accused, her voice high. "And I'm over _rocks!_" Her hand started to slip on the strap, making her green eyes go wide behind her glasses. She pulled out a Poke ball with her other hand. "You'd better not miss!"

Aerodactyl disappeared into red light, dropping Allison, Piper, and their previously tied on bags towards the ocean. Allison screamed again as Roy's Staraptor went past her, missing completely. Roy caught her hand with his own, leaning precariously far over the side of his Pokemon.

"Told you I'd catch you!" Roy said with a grin. Staraptor caught Piper in one talon and several of their bags in the other, somehow managing to aim correctly despite being blind. Allison's suitcase hit a large rock, spilling clothes and something that looked suspiciously like lace onto the stone. Roy set her down carefully as Staraptor came in for a landing. The blonde girl slapped him, crying hysterically.

"You _jerk!_" Allison wailed, her cheeks blotchy. "You did that on purpose!"

"I caught you, didn't I?" Roy muttered, jumping down. "You're awfully loud. Hey Bimbi, you okay?"

"I'm going to get…hypothermia," Violet gasped, pulling herself onto the rock, sopping wet. "You _jerk_."

"I get no appreciation," Roy sighed, raising his hands in surrender. "Hey there Avery. Looking good."

"Lia, Kirlia," Avery responded solemnly, curtseying .

"Wait," Violet said slowly, a realization coming to her. "Indigo, that ghost possessed her Aerodactyl."

"So?" Indigo said, surprised by her change in tone. Violets eyes went wide with horror. She turned to Indigo, stricken.

"Indigo, it _possessed her Pokemon!" _She gasped, her mind clicking. If the ghosts could possess a trainers Pokemon, they could turn them against others.

The Elite Four had some of the most powerful Pokemon on the planet. If they got possessed, their trainers would be helpless.

The Gym Leaders too. Without their Pokemon, everything, all their plans, would be for nothing. Sabrina would have thrown the ghost from Karo if she had known how, which meant she had no clue.

They would attack the city, and Fuchsia would burn. And Avery was the only one who knew how to stop it.

Sabrina's prediction was forgotten in her horror.

"Indigo, we have to go back!" Violet gasped.

~o~

**A/N **I'd like to thank Charity for her PM, because she never checks her inbox anyways. XD For that message you wholeheartedly deserve a mention in the authors note. And a free cyber cookie. And I'll only charge you 1 dollar for the cyber milk this time. :)

Also I'd like to thank my faithful readers who have supported my through thick and thin, and by thin I mean the sad excuse for writing that was the first chapters before I went back and fixed them. I've got the first four proofread into near readability, and it made me realize how generous you all were with me before. Hehe, sorry for making you put up with that. Have I gotten a little better since then?

Also, this story has numbered chapters from here on out. The reasons for this I can't disclose, and the exact number of remaining chapters is a secret, but I officially have a plan for each and every one of them. You've all been incredible, so I'll do my best to make these final chapters as perfect as I can make them.

Thank you all, and don't forget to review!


	16. And So, the World Burned

**DISCLAIMER: I admit it. I own a gumball. It's not even a good gumball, so I haven't eaten it yet. Pokemon is another story, however.**

~o~

"You can't be serious," Indigo snapped, his eyes blazing with anger. "You'll die. Hundreds of others will die. Going back would quite literally be suicide!"

Violet didn't argue. Her features had settled into a strange, calm mask. She picked up her pack, slinging it over one shoulder. "I have to," she said, as though it were that simple. "If I don't stop him, no one will. They don't know, Indigo, don't you see? They'll all lose if Avery isn't there. She can give them a fighting chance."

"She's just a child!" Indigo shouted, throwing his arm out towards the wide eyed Kirlia. "What can she do that no one else can?"

"She can protect their Pokemon from possession. And maybe she can even free Karo, if we get close enough," Violet explained, her beautiful eyes solemn. "They need her."

She was serious. "Sabrina trains psychics. She can take care of it," he threw out, desperately. Anything to stop her. Anything to keep her from walking onto that battlefield.

But Violet was already shaking her head. "If Sabrina knew how, if her Pokemon knew how, they would have stopped Karo at Saffron. Avery is just special. She can do it, right Avery?"

Her Kirlia thought for a moment. She nodded, a blazing determination growing in her eyes. Her Soothe Bell chimed lightly from around her neck.

"It was a _fluke_," Indigo insisted, throwing a look at the newly evolved Pokemon. "How could she possibly have learned how to manipulate ghosts like tha-" Indigo stopped short. His eyes narrowed dangerously. "How indeed?"

"Indigo," Violet warned, her voice low, but he paid her no heed, stalking forward to look Avery in the eyes. She drew back slightly, looking confused.

"Indigo, _stop_ it," Violet said, exasperated. "It doesn't _matter_. Avery can, and so we need her."

"It does matter," Indigo said grimly, staring at the now guarded Kirlia. "Just where did a baby learn something like that? You certainly didn't teach her."

"No, but I-"

"And," Indigo continued, cutting her off, "…there is still the matter of Sabrina's prophecy. She could turn on us during this very battle. She's never been very sane, has she? She could snap!"

"Enough!" Violet hissed, her eyes blazing. "Avery would _never_ hurt me, Indigo. She's had it tough in life, just like you! But she's been _trying_, and I trust her!"

"But what about-"

"I'm going back, Indigo!" Violet said, deadly calm. "Sabrina is not infallible. She could be wrong. And they need us. Both of us." she took a breath. "Indigo. Please. I need you. Fuchsia needs you, along with all of Kanto. Come with me."

Looking in her eyes, it was hard to remember why he had been fighting in the first place. All the same, a tiny feeling of despair was growing in his heart as he realized he could not stop her. Not with words. And he couldn't hurt her.

_She is going to die, warrior_.

"Violet," Indigo began helplessly, his expression torn. "I…I can't…"

Whatever he had been about to say was swallowed as a shockwave tore over them, strong enough to whip Violet's hair around her face. The sound hit them next, a resounding boom that shook the very sky as the horizon lit up with angry shades of brilliant orange-red. Distant roars could be heard, like the cries of furious dragons.

"Woah!" Roy shouted, bracing himself as the wind struck them. "Is that…?"

"Lance!" Violet shouted, desperate fear washing through her panicked eyes. "No, _no!_ We have to go back _now!_ If we don't…"

"I hear you, Vie," Roy said grimly. "You're right. Your Indigo had better decide fast." the rookie genius turned to the sandy haired boy staring at the horizon, his eyes wide as he shook.

"Piper. Piper?" Roy prodded, until it was clear that the boy was frozen. Roy sighed. "Piper, you stay here. Allison, guard him with your life, do you hear me? This is my little brother we're talking about."

"R-right," Allison whispered, her eyes locked on the horizon. Her gaze turned steely. "Right!" she said louder, her resolve strengthening. Roy turned to Violet.

"Get on. We're leaving." His normal humor had completely disappeared, replaced with power that radiated from his very being. Power that Violet had only glimpsed before, hidden behind his easy grin.

After a beat she was stepping forward to his side. She grasped his wrist as he pulled her astride Staraptor. The bird let out a keening battle cry and spread its wings, turning its head towards the burning sky above Fuchsia City.

War had broken out on their peaceful land.

All Violet could do was hope that she wasn't too late already.

~o~

"Sir," Captain Aren said sharply, bending into a bow, one hand clasped over her heart. Her skin was blackened with soot and grime, only serving to make her flashing green eyes burn brighter in comparison. "Reporting from Lillia, sir."

The King stared impassively at the young commander, his features so sharp they could have been carved from stone. His steely eyes were ruthless and cold beneath grey eyebrows, sunken deep. "I do not have all day, Captain," he prompted coldly. "Your report."

"Sir," Captain Aren repeated, straightening immediately, apparently unruffled. "Lillia suffered heavy fire damage from Entei's initial assault. Sectors 3 through 6 were burned to the ground, and Sector 2 is still on fire, despite our water trainers best efforts. Civilians were evacuated per Analynn's order, and brought to the capitol. Your orders, sir."

"Set up temporary refugee camps outside the castle walls," King Calariam said, nodding his head as though unsurprised. "The legendaries may war upon us, but they will not prevail against _this_ castle. Layla herself failed to bring these walls down."

"Sir," the young captain said again, stunned. "There is plenty of living space within the courtyard for the refugees. If we post them _outside _the walls…"

"They will slow Entei down, while providing both distraction and impairment. If Entei tries to attack me personally again, he will have to go through them," the King said grimly. "And while the cowardly groveling fools are outside the castle walls we will not be obligated to feed or care for their wounded, saving food and medical supplies."

Captain Aren's eyes widened, the only reaction she had to this pronouncement. "With all due respect your majesty, there are _children_ among their ranks. You cannot-"

The King hit the Captain across the mouth with a heavy backhanded blow, sending her spinning to the ground. "You will _not_ order me, girl," he snarled with thinly veiled fury. "Now get to work, or I'll feed you to the legendaries. And clean yourself up before addressing me again."

Captain Aren pushed herself up on one elbow before rising. A bruise was already forming just left of her lips. "As you wish, sir," she said frostily, slipping into a fluid bow. She exited the room, signaling to the soldiers outside the door with an armor clad hand. They followed her without comment, casting glances through the open doorway.

As soon as she was gone, the King hit the stone wall with the side of his fist, his eyes burning with hatred and fear. Queen Analynn ghosted through the doorway, her pale face worried. Without a word she put her arms over his shoulders, silently comforting him.

The King shook her off angrily. "Another town burned," he snarled quietly. "Entei gets closer every day. Is this some new torment Layla has sent on us from beyond the grave? Does she seek to destroy me even now?"

"You know that cannot be so," Queen Analynn soothed. "You know she is dead. No one can stand against you now. Your rule is safe, my husband."

"You believe so?" the King laughed, his eyes turning ugly and wild. "And what of our daughter? Riza has been turned into a half breed monster by _that_ man! And then we learn that he was _never_ the true Doctor Camellia, my own tool! That he was conspiring against me this entire time, plotting to destroy my kingdom!"

"Doctor Camellia is gone, my dear," Queen Analynn said, all the while facing him down with her unshakable calm. "His influence has dwindled now that we know his identity is false. And Riza will surely recover in time."

"She haunts me still," the King swore, disregarding her words. He stalked over to the desk in the room, bracing his hands on either side of it, his neck tensed. "After all this time, Layla's curse still remains. It nearly killed our daughter and our son without our realizing. And now it binds my hands as well, preventing me from hunting down this man and destroying him. Would that I had killed her before she turned against me!"

Queen Analynn flinched. "Sire, Layla never meant-"

"And you!" he shouted, the rage in his bloodshot eyes turning murderous. "You were her _friend_ before all this started! You conspired against me as well!"

Queen Analynns face went ashen pale. "I would _never_…"she gasped, her eyes wide. "Layla…she was…"

"A murderer and a traitor," the King shouted, "…she nearly destroyed my kingdom and she bloody well deserved her death for it!" His words rang hollowly in the empty room. The Queen stared at her husband with shock.

After a long moment he slumped, kneading his temples. "I am sorry. I should not have lost my temper with you of all people, Analynn. Forgive me."

Her features relaxed into a soft, tender smile. She put her hand on his shoulder. "There is nothing to forgive. You've been under so much _stress_ lately…"

"Riza can no longer be heir," the King said with a deep sigh. "She isn't even _human_ anymore, Analynn. And Terin is little better, half turned as he was before the Doctor left. If she betrays us, we will have no choice but to-"

"Do not speak of these things any longer," Queen Analynn murmured. "We will do what we must for our kingdom's sake. For now, rest, and let your subjects work. Entei will never reach the castle a second time. Rest easy, husband."

"Perhaps a small rest would be appropriate," the king muttered, his eyes slightly unfocused. "Yes, a good nights sleep…"

He allowed himself to be led out of the room that had once belonged to Doctor Camellia by Queen Analynn, his haunted features etching lines deep into his face.

As soon as they were gone, Indigo breathed a sigh of relief, slipping out from behind the heavy drapes that lined the arching windows, rubbing at his stiff neck as he did. The king's entrance had caught him off guard, half hour ago. He'd ducked behind the curtains before he had time to think about it, and had been pinned there until he left.

All he had wanted was to search the room, and maybe come up with some clues as to the whereabouts of Doctor Camellia…or whoever he was. His own room, a guest room given to him by Riza to spare him the trip home during the winter storms, had been commandeered by the captain as an emergency med room, like many others.

Entei had destroyed another town. Indigo breathed a shuddering sigh, sinking down to the floor, as the Volcanofur burned in his jacket pocket. He never let it out of his sight. It had to be linked to Entei's sudden rampage. But _how?_ He certainly wasn't trying to force the legendary to burn down cities. But if not him, then who?

His head hurt. Indigo squeezed his eyes shut and tried not to think, especially about how Riza hadn't opened her eyes yet. And how Doctor Camellia was still missing. Entei was a minor concern compared to these worries.

"My king would never be so cruel," a voice said, softly, from his right. Indigo jumped, whirling to face the side. Mayanna sat against the other wall, her chestnut eyes warm and dead. He hadn't heard her come in. Or had she been here the entire time, like he had?

Right now, Mayanna looked very alone. Her knees were pulled up to her chest, covered with thin white stockings, part of her uniform. Her long, thick braid had been undone, splaying her dark hair over her shoulders. She did not continue, letting silence fall as she stared at her hands. One of her arms had been bandaged thickly and wrapped in a sling, hiding the ugly slashes marring her skin.

Indigo released his breath all at once, sitting again. "If you mean Doctor Camellia, then you couldn't be more wrong. I've never met anyone so cruel."

"Not true," Mayanna whispered, hugging her legs tighter into her chest, a gesture so vulnerable it made her look like a child for one moment. "He would never hit an innocent woman. Especially one who fought for his sake. He would scorn the king for doing so."

"No, he just _kills_ women," Indigo said sarcastically. "I get it. So noble. And he tortures innocents, dissects Pokemon, and makes children cry…"

Mayanna laughed softly, the sound so alien and strange coming from her lips that he nearly jumped again. Indigo settled back down, glaring at her. "That wasn't a joke," he said, but she only smiled fondly at nothing in particular, shaking her head.

"Riza is alive," Mayanna pointed out, that smile still on her face. "He saved her life. His work with the Pokemon experiment is messy, but necessary. He does not enjoy what he does. You have made hard choices yourself, have you not?"

"That's different," Indigo insisted, but Mayanna didn't seem to appreciate the distinction, dissolving into quiet laughter once again. "Crazy," Indigo muttered under his breath, shooting looks at the brunette. "Completely crazy."

"He saved _my_ life, you know," she whispered after her laughter had subsided, her lips turned up. She almost looked pretty when she showed emotion. "I was once like Riza. A lab rat if you will. He perfected the Pokemon experiment before it could kill me. He worked tirelessly until I was stable, even though he was in pain himself."

Indigo thought about this for a moment, before shaking his head. "I don't believe it."

"And yet so it is," Mayanna said solemnly, her eyes warm. "And so _he_ is."

"If he's so good and perfect, why did he leave you behind?" Indigo said, rolling his eyes. "Why hurt Riza? Why do _any_ of this?"

"Why stand in his way?" Mayanna countered, arching a thin eyebrow. "Why force him to move you from his path?"

"I stand between him and Riza," Indigo insisted. His eyes went flat. "And if I have to stand between him and the kingdom, I'll do that too."

"Then you will burn," Mayanna said simply, nodding. "Just as this kingdom will. And as the original Doctor Camellia did."

"He can't win," Indigo said, shaking his head. "He _can't_. Why fight at all? What does he hope to achieve?"

"He will succeed where Layla Crie failed," Mayanna said finally, looking up to meet his eyes. Her hair fell into her face as she did so, yet she made no move to fix it. "He fights for _justice_. Or revenge, if you will. She was the symbol of the rebellion nearly twenty years ago, the catalyst which nearly drove the false king to his knees. He will be the hope, and the fire which burns away the impurities of the past."

Indigo snorted disbelievingly. "So noble," he said again, sarcastically. "History marks Layla as a traitor and a fool. And she lost."

"And who wrote that history?" Mayanna challenged, rising to her feet. "History is written by the victors, not the fallen. I never met Layla, but I know of her through my lord. She was an unparalleled trainer, and a fierce warrior. And she did not lose entirely. She left something behind. Two things, in fact."

"Oh really?" Indigo asked, wearied beyond belief. "What?"

Mayanna smiled and held out her hand. "A weapon. And a diary. Both are hidden within this castle, according to rumor. Learn their secrets and you'll know how to defeat Doctor Camellia. Let me show you."

~o~

Violet hit the sand running, recalling Mr. Fin from the sea without slowing her pace. Running on sand was nothing short of torture, and her usual jeans weren't helping matters, but still she pushed herself forward. The keening cry of a Staraptor echoed somewhere above her head. They had switched off between flying and surfing to save Staraptors strength.

The battle raging in Fuchsia could be seen from miles away, from sky or sea. The proud city was hewn into the mountain itself, as much a part of the stones as the caves within. Surrounding the mountain were plains and homes, docile and peaceful, protected by the sturdy core of the town.

It might have been peaceful still, if it weren't for the terrible chorus of screams, rising over everything else like a twisted symphony of the dying. And if the buildings on the mountain hadn't been burned to ashes and embers, still glowing under the blanket of stars.

And if Karo had not brought a thousand bloodthirsty ghosts to destroy everything in sight.

Violet ran, praying that she would be able to make a difference.

~o~

Karo smiled. And then he twisted his hand in a simple savage motion, and sent the beautiful girl screaming to her knees.

It took only a few seconds for the ghost to take over her mind. The girls short black hair hung limp around empty eyes as she stood, her traditional kimono waving over her elegant form. She turned, joining the row of captured humans that separated him from the one called Lance, her surviving grass Pokemon joining her.

Intoxicating. This power filled him with drunken ecstasy, as sweet as ambrosia. Electricity flowed through his blood, filling his eyes with hunger for more. Kanto's finest had stood against him. And now…they stood _with _him.

This was as it should be. The warriors of Kanto had fallen, and soon the Champion himself would fall at his feet. So long he had waited for this. So long had he _dreamed_. He had gone in search of powerful Gengar sealed in Lavender tower, and until that moment he had not been complete.

He smiled and twisted his hand again, eliciting a shriek from the girl again as he manipulated the weaker ghost controlling her mind. He had cared about people once, in his own way. He had had no idea, back then. People were so _common_, milling about in great herds, each one so alike it was difficult to tell the difference anymore. Just tools. Nothing more than toys, there for his amusement, the most powerful being in Kanto.

All he needed, and wanted, now, was to find her.

_Amber_.

The one trainer, the one person who had touched his heart. The only person who had understood, and been able to temper his boredom. _She_ would be able to light that fire in his soul once again surely, bringing him on adventures and bringing constant thrill to even the most mundane days. If only he could find her, he would have no need for such toys.

But _they_ wanted to stop him. They didn't want Amber to be reunited with her former partner. Karo gritted his teeth angrily. The Champion stood there, defying _him_, his cloak billowing in the wind from his furious battle. He fought bravely, but even he could not win.

Every gym leader in Kanto stood against him now, battling his dragons as one. Eight masters against one, the strongest of them all. Lance ordered his dragons like a conductor, keeping track of all twenty four of his remaining opponents Pokemon at once.

First he had stolen the minds of the Pokemon. It was so simple as to be laughable, really. Weak minded trainers spawned weak minded Pokemon. Those without mental defense had fallen prey to his ghosts within seconds. The priestess herself had fallen eventually, weakened by a constant assault by his strongest.

But try as he might, he could not possess the dragon master.

Lance yelled his fury, as a Dragonite seared across three Pokemon with a white flamed Flamethrower, sending them all into unconsciousness without a fight. He extended his other hand, and an Aerodactyl screamed, lifting rocks from the mountainside into the air, to be dropped on the Venomoth from above.

His determination and inner fire burned in a storm of blood and rage, all focused on a single purpose. Those words, which every ghost that entered his mind heard, just before being expelled.

_Defend Kanto_.

The tide turned. Impossibly, the dragon master was _winning_, against every gym leader at once. His dragons gleamed in the light of brushfires and starlight, echoing the single-minded determination of their master.

Karo snarled quietly, twisting his fist in close to his body, clenching it tightly, the motion sending a jolt of pain into the minds of all the ghosts controlling the Gym leaders and their Pokemon at once. It did not help. They fought, and they fell, their puppeteers growing ever more desperate.

It was time for a new tactic.

He sent a mental command to all of the captured gym leaders. They all ceased fighting, drawing their Pokemon back towards them. They stood in a line, staring blankly forward. Lance hesitated, his constant stream of battle commands faltering.

"Have you decided to surrender?" he called out, his voice echoing and powerful. Karo laughed. That blazing in his eyes was practically cute. He stood no chance, of course.

He could fight Pokemon, but could he fight _people?_

Four of the gym leaders broke off from the group, the red head girl leading them. They broke into a run, attacking Lance himself.

His scarlet eyes went wide as he sidestepped a punch from a heavily muscled man with an army haircut, and immediately ducked under another. The beautiful girl-child threw sand at his face, her eyes flat and empty.

Lance's Dragonite turned, roaring, as the red headed spitfire raked her nails across his neck, leaving shallow trails of red, the cry echoed by all of his powerful Pokemon.

"No!" Lance shouted, stopping them from coming to his aid even as he took a fist to the stomach. He doubled over, gasping, as they continued the assault.

His kindness would end him. A fitting death for the dragon master.

His connection to the ghost controlling the shorter male faltered. Then the grass trainer, and the electric trainer as well. His gaze snapped to the field in time to see Lance strike the base of the redheads neck with a sharp chop. Her eyes rolled back as she sighed, falling to the ground like a puppet cut suddenly free.

He had won the fight without injuring them. The Champion of Kanto stood tall, barely controlled anger lighting his eyes. The fool honestly thought he still had a chance.

And maybe, Karo mused, he would have had that chance, if he had not faltered when attacking the trainers. Maybe the Champion would have _won_, if he had been willing to strike to kill.

But he had not. And he never would. Karo raised one disdainful hand, jerking it back as though pulling at invisible strings.

The fallen gym leaders stood back up shakily, jerking as they rose. The ghosts, high level Haunter and low level Gengar, did not require a conscious body in order to move and attack. Shock flashed through the Champions face as his friends stood, with the sole intention of killing him. That shock was followed by the tiniest, _sweetest_, glimpse of fear.

"Ghost of Karo Asuna!" Lance thundered, leaping astride a Dragonite to escape the grounded trainers. "You can't possibly win! Even if I fall, even if Kanto itself falls, your trainer will never return! She died, long ago, and lies past your reach! You fight for _nothing!_"

He would make Lance suffer for his defiance. He would die for his lies. There was one who could lead him to his trainer. One who would know where she had been hidden.

The girl who traveled with the warrior. He had gone over her features countless times in his mind, and in the memories of several of his victims. She was young, too young to be Amber. But the resemblance was unmistakable.

Amber's daughter would know where she had gone. She would reunite him with the one human in the world he loved.

~o~

Lance should have known flying was a bad idea.

This Dragonite had been with him since he was child, since it was nothing more than a tiny Dratini, crying in a fishnet on that secluded beach. Since then, he had been enthralled with the mystic, immeasurable strength of dragons, the most powerful, rare, and beautiful of Pokemon.

There was nothing in the world more inspiring and fearsome than a dragon type Pokemon in battle. He had proven that time and again as he traveled, eventually rising to be the strongest of all trainers. But this was one fight that had tested his beloved dragons harshly, forcing them to fight to the very limits of their abilities. He had personally defeated countless near invisible ghosts, stalling until the Elite Four moved to counterstrike. They had yet to come. Lance did not know what had become of them.

His Dragonite faltered, obviously straining as it carried him higher into the air. Its incredibly fine scales were cold under his hands, even colder than the frigid air that hung in the winter sky. Lance gritted his teeth. He did not know how to win this fight. But he would die before he stopped trying.

It was time to take this battle to its source.

"To the tyrant himself," Lance murmured, urging his Dragonite to spend just a little more effort. He placed one hand on its neck. "Go."

With a pained roar, his Dragonite rushed forward with all the strength it had left in its wings, streaking like a comet towards Karo himself. It opened its jaws, a Hyper Beam spilling out the sides before exploding out in a furious storm of white power.

Dragonite arced up towards the sky an instant before hitting the ground as the Hyper Beam hit, straining to the height of the mountain itself.

Lance looked back over his shoulder. A wall of ghosts had protected Karo, completely unharmed by the normal type attack. They laughed and shifted tantalizingly from shadow to nothingness, breaking apart. His Dragonite groaned, losing altitude slowly as its wings drooped.

"No! Just a little longer, Dragonite," Lance pleaded, concern lacing his voice as his partner faltered. It floated slowly towards the ground, trying to slow its fall.

A ghost streaked towards them like a comet, striking Dragonite with a Shadow Claw in passing. It was followed by hundreds more.

Blow by blow, slash by slash, Dragonite was worn down. It shot towards the ground, trying in vain to escape the assault. They were roughly a hundred feet from the earth when Dragonite fainted, having fought till the last.

Lance held on tight to Dragonites form as they plummeted towards the earth, their attackers dropping back. He shouted to his Pokemon, but it was beyond even the sound of his voice. Lance raised his hand to the sky, his cape snapping around him. He closed his eyes.

Their fall was slowed, bit by bit, as his Pokemon responded to his call. Charizard, Aerodactyl, and his two other Dragonites caught their fallen comrade, carrying them both safely to the earth. Lance stepped down from Dragonites neck, recalling his partner.

He looked up at the sky, where hundreds of ghosts still flew. He could not risk his slowing down his other Pokemon. Lance turned with dread to face the captured gym leaders once again.

If he would fall, then so be it. He could not harm such kind young trainers, not for any reason.

A keening cry started off in the west, growing in strength. Lance looked up to the source of the noise, startled, just in time to see a Staraptor streak from the sky like a bullet, snapping its wings open at the last second to stop inches above the ground, wings flapping powerfully.

A girl jumped off, stumbling slightly, as the Staraptor took to the air once again, attacking ghosts left and right. She stood, back to him, her long black hair waving in the wind.

Violet. His mind went blank with shock as he saw the one person he did not want to see. Not here.

Before he could react, the girl had drawn out a blue Poke ball from her belt. She released a tiny white Pokemon with haughty eyes. A single Kirlia, barely a baby, stood alone against the possessed gym leaders of Kanto.

"Kirlia," it said solemnly, and was engulfed with midnight black. The dark hued Psychic burst out from her, striking through three gym leaders before he could shout a warning.

The three screamed in unison and fell to the earth. Lance watched, stunned, as they stayed there.

She had a way to counter the ghosts. Violet could very well turn this battle around.

If she did not fall to Karo herself, and destroy everything.

Sabrina's prophecy echoed in his mind. Lance walked forward towards her unprotected back, and put a hand on her shoulder, forcing himself not to lean there.

"Good to see you," he said simply. "Don't die."

The girl turned, surprise and awe flashing through her purple eyes. She nodded once mutely, understanding his unsaid words. She looked so young, and at that moment, so alone. It seemed unjust almost, that the fate of the world so often rested on such young shoulders.

"We get you to Karo," Lance said grimly, a plan forming in his mind. "If your Kirlia takes that Gengar down the fight is over. All we have to do is break through. Do you understand?"

"R-right!" Violet stammered. She looked past the five remaining gym leaders towards Karo, her gaze flickering with pained recognition.

His blonde hair hung loose almost to his crazed orange eyes, mussed and golden. His clothes were faded and torn, as though he had been wearing them for a long time. Ghosts flickered around his head and arms, caressing his skin almost possessively.

He recognized her as well. He broke into a grin that was little bit too wide. "I don't think so, _Violet_. I'm staying right where I am. This host does not even recognize that I am in control. He has been consumed past the point of sanity."

"Avery can save him," the girl said, her eyes burning. "She'll cast you out. I _know_ she will."

Karo rolled his eyes. "I have time, young one. She will fall eventually, and when she does, we'll have our conversation. I've been looking forward to this for longer than you would believe."

"Looking…forward?" Violet repeated, her brow furrowed. "But I…I don't know what happened to your trainer! Honestly, I don't!"

Karo raised his pale arms, a serene smile breaking over his features. "Oh child. Yes you do. And I will rip it out of you _personally_. For now…why don't you amuse me? Fight with your fallen Champion, despite being abandoned by your warrior."

"Avery," Violet said grimly. "Take down all of them. Do it now."

She had no sooner completed the words when a Ghastly dove _through_ her head. Violet's eyes went wide, and her Kirlia shrieked, throwing a black Psychic at her trainer, expelling the ghost. Violet gasped, breaking into a cold sweat as she regained control over her body.

Avery held out her hands, lining her trainers form with black, shielding her from several other ghosts. Her small hands trembled from the stress. But she could not attack and defend at the same time.

"Violet!" Lance shouted as a warning. The gym leaders were attacking again, their Pokemon with them. "Charizard, use Blast Burn! Aerodactyl, Ancient Power!" Lance barked, dodging a swinging cane wielded by none other than Blaine.

His warning snapped her out of her shock, in time to see a possessed Sabrina sprinting towards her, a crude rock held in her hands like a knife.

A figure dropped from the sky as Staraptor rocketed above their heads. The girls Lucario struck down Sabrina with a single Force Palm, landing in a crouch in front of its trainer.

"Not today," the Lucario growled, fire in his eyes. "Not ever."

"Avery," Violet gasped. "Release her."

The Kirlia let Violet go. Lucario immediately fought off several ghosts who dove for her, wielding a Dark Pulse that exploded like a shock wave. The tiny Pokemon stood on both legs and, with shaking arms, released another painful Psychic which struck Sabrina directly.

Lance could see it as the ghost was thrown from her body, shrieking. He saw as Sabrina's ice blue eyes regained their light, just in time to see Violet's face. Stunned, sickened fear flashed through them at the sight of her face, there of all places.

Sabrina fell to the scorched earth, unconscious, the strain of possession forcing her mind to shut down. As she fell, Lance saw four new figures join the battle, flanking Karo on either side.

The Elite Four had joined the battle. They had already been captured by the enemy, probably before the battle had even begun.

Lance looked at the girl who might just save them all, and wondered how on earth they were going to get through this now.

All the while, Karo laughed.

~o~

Indigo couldn't help it. He burst out laughing.

"You honestly expect me to believe that mystical weapon left behind by a famous legend exists, _in this castle_, with some convenient power that will allow me to defeat Doctor whoever he really is?" Indigo snorted, not bothering with keeping the sarcasm out of his voice. "A weapon that you would be _willing_ to give to his enemy? How stupid do you think I am?"

Mayanna stared at him, her features blank. "You don't want it?"

Indigo rolled his eyes at her. "Of course I want it. But how do I know you aren't going to, oh I don't know, get me alone and dispose of my body where no one would ever find it?"

"I promise."

"That's not going to cut it," Indigo deadpanned. "And if Layla kept a diary, it would be public by now. I mean, she was some hero to a lot of people back then. They _still_ tell stories about her."

"Unless someone close to her hid the book," Mayanna said, quirking an eyebrow. "Unless she herself left a guardian. A powerful Pokemon, so strong it rivals the strength of legendaries. Layla's diary is the most well guarded secret in Halleden. Her diary reveals the whereabouts of her legacy, the weapon that will destroy her enemy."

Indigo laughed again. "And where is this guardian? And the book for that matter? The top of the tallest tower?"

Mayanna stared at him, not getting the joke. "The library."

"….right. Why didn't I think of that?" Indigo wondered out loud.

"I was perfectly serious," Mayanna said. She shrugged. "It was just a thought. Don't go, if you don't want to know. You probably wouldn't be able to defeat the champion anyways."

That irritated him, a little. His Pokemon were the best in Halleden. No forgotten relic could beat _them_.

"It is said that to summon the champion, all you have to do is say the words, I seek the truth, in a loud, dramatic voice," Mayanna supplied indifferently. "Layla always did have a flair for the dramatic. And silly. I don't care what you do either way."

She left the room, not bothering with a goodbye. Indigo turned towards the window, muttering all the while. He was definitely never going to that library to check it out. Not ever.

"…and you see Sparks, that's why I had to come," Indigo explained as he walked down the spiral staircase towards the library. "She made me do it."

Sparks looked supremely unimpressed. His fur crackled and sparked, lighting the way better than the torch Indigo held. "Girls, right? Can't live with em, can't…well, what do you know." Indigo sighed, kicking at a loose stone. It clattered down the steps, echoing and loud.

"Riza woke up," Indigo said glumly, after a long silence. "She's not feeling too well. Her dad had a huge fight with her. She's been disinherited, because of this whole thing with Doctor what's his face. She asked about me, but I…well, I can't face her _now_, can I? She knows about the missions. She hasn't heard everything, but the rumors are extremely accurate."

Sparks thought about this for a long while before deciding on a knowing silence. Or so Indigo told himself. "She's a _princess_," he said exasperatedly. "So cliché. Ok, so she's not actually a princess anymore, but _still_. I'm, what, the son of a farmwife?" he groaned with the complete irony of the situation.

He had a family once. Well, his adopted mother. She had passed away two years before to the sleeping sickness. It had been a kind of death as Indigo could have wished. He'd lived on his own since then. There were days he wondered about his real family, and what it would have been like…but there was no sense in looking for a past that wasn't coming back.

"What if…Riza never forgives me?" Indigo said, worrying. "If she…well, finds someone else. Someone taller, for example. With rippling muscles."

His Jolteon threw him a look at this, somehow managing to perfectly communicate exasperation, distaste and a complete lack of interest all at the same time. Indigo sighed, wishing for Aneka. She could take all the worry _away_, and she'd probably think it was delicious.

The stairs finally ended, leaving Indigo feeling like he was miles underground, instead of one level. The castle had several libraries. He never understood _why_, since the king seemed to hate literature, but then, maybe his father before him had been well read. This library was the deepest, the largest, and by far the creepiest. He had saved checking this one for last.

He had decided that whatever else Layla was, she was insane on top of it all. He had nearly died from embarrassment the one time someone else had been in the upper libraries when he said the password, in a painfully dramatic voice.

"If this library isn't the one either, I'm moving to Mount Shishiro to be a hermit," Indigo muttered under his breath. "Hermits don't have to deal with this silliness."

Musty, ancient tomes lined the dark wood of shelves that looked older than the castle itself. The walls were hewn from rock, and he could have sworn that there was the faint sound of water.

He also had no idea how far this room went. He walked forward, the small circle of torchlight throwing harsh shadows on the lines and lines of books. After the first row of books, there was another, and another beyond that. He couldn't see the far wall.

He swallowed, suddenly nervous. How far _did_ this room go? He felt like he was in a tomb. Mold crawled across the floor from the corners, eating the shelves nearest them, books and all. He didn't think anyone had read these books for centuries.

There was no sense in putting it off. Indigo took a deep breath, wincing as he did so. "I-I seek the truth!" he shouted into the darkness in the most dramatic voice he could summon.

He could have sworn the darkness laughed at him.

He was already turning to leave, slumped just a little bit in defeat, when his torch went out in a guttering blast of wind that smelled like stale water and mold.

Indigo sucked in a breath as the tomb was plunged into abrupt darkness, his eyes widening uselessly. He froze completely and absolutely, not daring to turn around, for a full four breaths.

Sparks scraped his claws against the stone restlessly, his head turning from side to side very slowly, his ears twitching like mad. Tiny flickers of electricity that looked like fire sizzled and spat, loud in the sudden silence, casting just enough light to see half a foot around him.

Something scraped across stone in the distance. His Jolteon's ears swiveled along with his head, staring blindly into the darkness behind as though he could see something Indigo could not. A bigger scrape sounded, as though something was being dragged across stone, following by a thump. Drag_thump. _Drag_thump_.

Indigo's heart froze, and all he could think was how it was all true. Her diary was real, its guardian along with it. He hadn't really believed it until that moment.

"Greenly, I choose you!" Indigo shouted, the sound deafening to his own ears, releasing his Pokemon into the room with a flash of stunning light that made him see spots. He would _not_ be caught off guard by this thing. He swallowed all his fear and nervousness and _made them go away_. They would not help him, not here.

He chewed on his lip, waiting with nearly unbearable anticipation as adrenaline flooded his veins, his mind icy and clear. Greenly tossed its head, tense and impatient.

Drag_thump_.

Indigo could see a shape hulking in the darkness, misshapen and deformed, just beyond the edges of his vision. It was like nothing he had ever seen before, and he suddenly remembered that Layla had been the best trainer in the world.

"Greenly, attack!" Indigo shouted in a manly, heroic voice that sounded nothing like a twelve year old girl. His Meganium bounded forward fearlessly, suddenly surrounded by razor sharp leaves that hovered in the air and glowed like green fire.

The sound stopped. A burst of white light bloomed in front of his Meganium, and a blast of frigid air blew against his face, raising goose bumps on his bare arms. Greenly didn't even make a sound, falling to the exposed stone floor.

The scraping noise continued, the heavy footsteps getting louder. Indigo's mind blanked out. No one had ever done that before. Not even Mireal had taken out Greenly in one hit, that time he'd had to go back to Mount Shishiro. It wasn't possible.

Sparks snarled furiously, throwing himself in front of Indigo, legs braced apart. He shrieked, loosing a ragged Thunderbolt that set his skin tingling even though he was _behind _it. The attack ripped into the black, so bright it blinded Indigo more completely than the darkness itself had.

The sound of steps didn't even slow. It was almost on them. Without thinking, Indigo grabbed his fallen torch and thrust it into Jolteons next bolt of lightning.

His torch burst into flame, and the Thunder hit its target in the same breath. The glow from the lightning faded along with the flashes of color in front of his eyes, and in the torchlight Indigo finally saw his opponent.

A Quagsire stared at him with a goofy smile on its face. "Walter," it said grandly. "Walwal-ter. Walter walter!"

"…Walter?" Indigo asked with a wince. "_Really_? Who names a Quagsire Walter?"

"Walter walter."

"And aren't you supposed to say _Quagsire_?" Indigo burst out, pointing an accusing finger at the blue Pokemon.

Walter tilted his head, his smiling face unchanging. "Walter?"

Indigo released his breath in a huff. He folded his arms. The champion was a Quagsire that quite possibly had brain damage. Oh joy. "I…I'm here for a book…oh great Champion," Indigo said lamely. "It once belonged to Layla. Layla Crie."

"Walt-walt," the Quagsire said, as though _that_ should have been obvious. It moved forward again, and Indigo realized it was dragging something behind it, something big.

A huge figure was tied down to a wooden plank, attached to a loop held by the Quagsire. It was a statue of a girl, etched into cold ,grey stone. She wore a long dress carved out of the rock that fell just above her ankles, hugging her form as though she was standing in wind. Her hair whipped around her face, long and wavy, and even in stone, her eyes looked alive with mischief and knowing.

Under the statue of Layla's arm was a book, a thin, leather-bound number that looked almost new, despite its age. Indigo could hardly believe what he was seeing.

The diary of Layla Crie had been found. And in it was Doctor Camellia's one weakness.

~o~

Indigo felt a strange sense of déjà vu as his body settled into a constant stream of attacks and lunges, battling such sheer _numbers_ it was nearly impossible to keep track of everything at once. How often did someone have to fight a megalomaniac while the world burned around them until the universe was satisfied?

But this time was also different. This time, he could _fight_.

Indigo snarled, the sound inhuman and feral, slamming his right palm into an Onix that had been stupid enough to attack Violet. It roared with pain, throwing its head back, and Indigo finished it off with a Dark Pulse that throbbed with malevolent pleasure and sinister thoughts. The world glowed around him with fever bright sparks of light and life, shaded by the duller streaks of death that were the hundreds of ghosts.

Indigo dodged right, then left, twisting his body to avoid a Hyper Beam, even as he shot a Pelliper out of the sky with a well timed Dark Pulse. Hot adrenaline pounded through his veins as the world narrowed until every second was a lifetime, an infinitesimal moment that existed for one purpose alone.

He felt crackling power running down his arms, blue and white lightning the same color as Aura that burned the air itself, leaving behind a metallic tang. His paws were sheathed with a brilliant burst of blue fire, and he felt as though he could do anything.

The sheer power was intoxicating. He had never known strength like this even existed in this world. Indigo blazed, and his opponents lined the path behind him as he fought forward, flanked by his partners and the Dragon Master himself. He should have been exhausted by now. He was not. He could fight forever.

"Violet, to your right!" Lance shouted, but Indigo was already moving, reading the pulse of Aura around him, like a massive heartbeat. He ducked under a slash from the Rapidash's horn, falling to one paw as he struck out with first one leg, then the other, hitting high. He pushed off the ground with that single paw and spun fast and hard, finishing the Fire type off with a Force Palm streaked with silver Aura. He landed in a crouch and swept the legs out from underneath a Magmar, redirecting the Flamethrower it had fired at Violet high into the air, where Roy battled the countless ghosts still.

Aura flowed through his limbs and outward, until Indigo could _feel_ every opponent that came within fifteen feet of him, as though his senses had expanded far past their normal capacity. His heart sang even as he was challenged by several new weaklings, beings that could never hope to see the world as he did right then. They moved laughably slow, as though they were moving through mud. He struck them before they could so much as step forward.

A flying opponent was streaking toward Violet and Avery, a ghost Roy had let through, but Indigo did not turn, sensing Lance's movement. The Dragon Master snapped open a whip that spun in the air like a living snake, obeying its masters whims as it struck across the attackers eyes, sending it shrieking back to the sky.

Prophecies and dreams had no power here. Here, _he_ was the power, and no half remembered impression could affect him. Sabrina's prophecy was all but forgotten as he fought, the flow of Aura burning through him like fire. The thought that he would be unable to protect her never even entered his mind. She would live. It was an inevitability, something that no one could change while he breathed.

Lance was shouting something, as he released every Pokemon he had with him at once, and Violet screamed as Mr. Fin was finally struck down by Surge, but they were nothing but side notes. Indigo did not fear failing. But there was something else that _did_ scare him in that moment.

Golden light blended with the silver blue that already surrounded his arms, shooting bright bursts of color and vitality into his Aura. Indigo fought them back harshly, forcing the gold to retreat. While he was preoccupied, a Charizard seared him with a fire attack that made his nerve endings scream, forcing him back, away from Violet.

The gold light was something he had seen before. He recognized the feeling, the color, even the smell of citrus blossoms. He feared _returning_, more than anything. What would happen to Violet if he disappeared in the middle of this battle? He trusted himself to protect her, but none other.

He would never abandon her. Halleden would simply have to wait until she was safe.

Indigo gritted his teeth, jumping to fight even as the Charizard was struck from behind by a Thunder fired from Lance's Dragonite. He leaped over its unconscious body instead, rejoining the main fight, power jolting through his veins.

"Stay away!" Avery shrieked, a midnight wave spilling through her hands that engulfed Karen of the Elite four as she shouted an order to her Houndoom. The pale haired beauty collapsed to the ground. Her remaining Pokemon blinked, looking confused for a moment. Indigo struck with two Dragonite and Roy's Zebstrika, which had fought through dozens of ghosts to reach them, in a pincer attack that defeated the disoriented Pokemon before they could recover their initiative.

Indigo felt a flicker in the Aura roaring around him, one that might have been lost had it not come from Avery. He looked over in alarm as he took in her near collapsed state. The Kirlia was shaking hard, her crimson eyes wide with horror. Her Soothe bell chimed from around her neck, the only soothing sound to be heard in the cacophony of fire and battle. What was this battle doing to her, a creature that reflected emotions?

Avery seemed to sense his thoughts. She met his eyes, and he could see nothing in their depths. She was drowning in negative emotions and nothingness, the darkness inside of her surfacing to meet the pain all around. She was falling, Indigo realized with a start, _here and now_.

_Sunlight and warmth spilled through the cracks in the floorboard. She felt as though she could almost see them, almost feel the light on her skin, even sealed away in blackness as she was. What did sunlight feel like? She had felt it once, but she could not remember_.

Avery's memories, from her lost two years, Indigo realized. His connection with her was too strong. He could _see_ the bond his concern had created with her in the flow of Aura, binding them together. He could feel her trembling, the searing pain inside her head, the darkness in her heart, _everything_, as though it was his own. He saw himself reflected through her eyes, a wide eyed warrior covered with blood that was not his own, and he saw her guilt.

_Humans were not supposed to lose the red-life, Avery decided, after having contemplated it for nearly a week. It was not good for them. The gold eyed master had lost too much, and so he was lost. She did not know where he had gone. That would be a question for the next week, she supposed. The girl without words was gone as well. Did she lose the red-life as well? Was she trapped in blackness like Avery, like Echo-mother? Loneliness spread through her body and she curled up in on herself, waiting for it all to end._

_Fire-children came and went, with the sunshine. They fought each other, hated and loved and resented, but they always, always fought. Pokemon and people, always clashing and hating. Not enough hatred, Avery thought personally. The cold woman had hated, and she had won. Hating was good. Hating kept the cold away. Avery wanted to win, and so she learned how to hate, by watching the fire-children. Sometimes they didn't hate enough while they fought. Sometimes she helped them, just a little. It was fun to change what they thought._

_Cold ones came sometimes, ones that liked hating like she did. The fire-children, called trainers, she had learned, brought them sometimes to fight. The cold ones could pass through walls and create fear. Avery liked them. But she wished they were warmer. She didn't remember what warm _felt_ like, but she knew she wanted it. But the cold ones were still great fun. She could hurt them, with her mind, and make them do things. She could do that to humans too, but when she did she thought of golden-master and the girl without words and stopped._

_Bored. Avery learned that word after a year and a half, after feeling it for most of her life. She was bored. It was too easy, manipulating cold ones and Pokemon, and she wanted more. She wanted Echo-mother, and the girl without words, and she wanted to eat something called a donut that she had seen in trainers minds. Avery made a trainer lose in the practice fields above her, stopping his Pokemon's heart for a second and a half before letting it restart. It hurt, being bored. She remembered the red-life on her hands the last time she saw the sun, and suddenly felt as though she were breaking into a thousand pieces._

_Resolve, anticipation, a tiny glimpse of fear. People came, even though no one should have been there. Sounds and scraping, and then _light_. Avery blinked in the light and saw the girl without words, saw the thoughts behind her mask, felt her love, so warm and bright it hurt her eyes and shocked her into silence. Her sightless eyes went wide, and she froze, drowning in love. She saw the plan, heard the love, and knew that everything was different. She didn't even mind it when she was returned to the dark, cradling that one spark of warmth and light to her chest with confusion and awe._

_RED-LIFE, RED-life, red life, _BLOOD._ Pain and blood, everywhere and broken thoughts. Cold ones lined the sky, and warm-love was scared. She was scared for Avery, and for broken-warrior, and all of the people. Hurting and hate was everywhere, but Avery knew now that it was not good, like not having candy. Warm-love wanted her to stop it, and so Avery tried. She tried and tried until her head screamed and the peace-sound rang softer and softer, surrounded by fighting and blood. STOP-STOP-stop-stop-STOP! Make everything go away, let Avery go back to blackness and memories! NO MORE!_

"Don't be an idiot!" Indigo shouted, shattering the connection as Avery's mind started to reel and break. "Violet is still in danger! Get a hold of yourself and do something! You can't keep looking to the past! Fight for the _future!_ Fight for Violet, and prove that you are more than a monster!"

"Too much, too strong!" Avery moaned, her bell like words entering his mind directly as she clutched her head. "Make it stop, make it end, let it die!"

"Give up and we'll _all_ die!" Indigo growled, letting the power burst out his palm as he fought off a Pokemon he had never seen before. He knew now how Avery could cast out ghosts. She had _practiced_ often. And not just on ghosts.

But they still needed her. Monster or not. Indigo fell back, letting Lance's Gyarados and Roy's Rapidash close in front of the hole he had created. They were surrounded, but holding their own. For now.

"Avery," Indigo said, clasping her shoulder with a paw that still burned with Aura fire. He stared into her eyes, letting her feel his resolve. "If you fail, Violet will be cold. She will be sad and alone, and forget what warmth is. If you love her," Indigo said, letting himself feel the powerful emotion as an example to Avery, "then you'll stop the cold ones. Don't let them hurt her."

Kirlia stared at him with a wide, shaking gaze as she felt the emotion resonate through her. She went very still, and her soothe bell chimed softly.

They didn't have much time. "Love is _warm_, Avery. It burns like fire, but without pain. Love is powerful and soft, and if you have it there is nothing in the world you cannot do. Violet loves you more than anyone. Will you let them kill her, like Daniel was killed?"

Avery was unsure. Her Aura showed her struggle clearly as she battled within herself, trying to reconcile the life she had known with the concept of _love_. She looked at Violet and despaired. Indigo saw just how weak she was, how much strength she had already used, and knew another burst could be the end of her.

"Please," Indigo breathed pleadingly, his voice rough.

Avery stood shakily, and Indigo realized that, disconcertingly enough, the entire exchange had lasted no more than a few seconds, memories and all. A child no longer, Avery raised her hands in the air, burning emotion making her attack stronger than any before.

"NEVER!" Avery shrieked, a tidal wave of malevolent psychic energy bursting and ripping from her small body. The black surge of raw power formed snapping jaws and fangs, forming into creatures the likes of which Indigo had never seen and never wanted to see again, exposing ghosts and tearing them from screaming hosts who fell unconscious in waves behind the attack.

The wave burst around them in a ring of pain that sent ghosts reeling away as though they had seen the sun. Screams filled the air as every possessed opponent fell to the ground, leaving Karo standing alone, a stunned expression on his face.

Avery's Soothe Bell cracked. It released a discordant note that grated on Indigo's soul as the Kirlia collapsed, drained of power and emotion.

It had worked. Indigo broke into a disbelieving grin. Haunter and Gengar hung silent in the air, shocked into immobility.

Hot rushing flowed over Indigo in a wash of golden light, spreading a strange tingly feeling over his entire body. The gold crackled over his fur and Indigo smelled wildflowers behind the citrus blossom, carried on a warm summer breeze. He heard a bell like laugh echoing on the wind, and his heart constricted with the sudden, unexpected beauty of it.

Riza. She was there. She was _waiting_.

Karo laughed, loud and surprised, throwing his head back as he did so. He laughed as though it was the funniest thing in the world, and after a moment the ghosts started to laugh to, hesitant chuckles turning into full blown, half crazed gales of laughter. The gold faded slightly as Indigo's eyes widened.

"You think you've _won?_" Karo shrieked, his orange eyes unequally wide. "You _fools!_ You've just freed my strongest ghosts from their weak puppets! They were _unnecessary_, don't you get that? And now…now you have lost the only protection you had! You are dead, all of you, you're just not smart enough to realize it yet!"

He extended his pale, unnaturally twisted hand. Indigo tensed, his eyes going wide with horror as he realized the truth of the situation.

But the ghosts did not attack Violet. All of the Gengar and Haunter that had been thrown from the Elite Four, Gym Leaders, and their Pokemon struck as one, melting into the body of Lance the Dragon Master.

Lance's back arched as dozens of ghosts poured into his body, a river of shifting shadows and laughter that disappeared on contact with his chest and arms. It didn't seem possible for so many ghosts to occupy the same space. Lance opened his mouth to shout his defiance, his head thrown back, but more ghosts simply poured into his mouth like water. His shout was cut off as his head fell limply to his chest, his arms going limp.

Lance raised his head, and his eyes were completely black with the presence of the dozens of ghosts it had taken to possess the Champion of Kanto. Strands of red hair fell into his face. Lance grinned suddenly, the smile so evil and _wrong_ it didn't seem to fit on his face.

Indigo backed up, holding one arm in front of Violet to stop her from running forward. Lance burned in his Aura vision with the fire of the sun, normally, but now that fire was weakened and shaded, as though hidden behind countless shifting clouds.

The Champion looked up at the dragons hovering around his head and his smile grew more pronounced. Five Gengar streaked from his body, striking the Dragon types directly. With a chorus of roars, the Champions dragons resisted, as they had done before.

But Lance knew his Pokemons weaknesses better than anyone. And now, they ghosts knew those weaknesses too.

One by one, his dragons fell to the ghosts. Mr. Fin had been defeated, and now Avery. With a quick glance, Indigo saw that Ditto was lying in her arms, badly wounded. Roy was still in the skies, battling off the other ghosts, his Pokemon on the ground weakening.

"Shall we play a little longer, Violet?" Karo grinned, his tangled hair falling in his face.

They were on their own.

~o~

**A/N **Bahahaha, I'm mean! This is surprisingly fun. Short chapter, even though it DID NOT FEEL LIKE IT. Part 2 will be up in a week or two, ect. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm getting mega stuff oreos and a glass of milk to celebrate getting this done, while watching the new episode of the Mentalist.

Review! It would make this chapter so worth it! :D


	17. Words from the Past

**DISCLAIMER: I still own nothing. Yeah, rub it in why don't you. The beginning of this chapter is Layla's diary. Do not get confused. It is meant to be there, and is part of this story.**

~o~

June 2:

'King' Johann Calariam is a funny smelling, ugly, senile, slow witted idiot who probably inherited his good looks from a Dunsparce.

Ah, that _did_ feel good. Thank you Ana, and take that you potato-faced old fart! Ha! I hope you fall into a puddle and drown!

I should probably add some details, if I'm going to be writing in this thing anyways. This book was given to me by my best friend, training partner, almost sister, and beauty extraordinaire, Analynn Harthrow, natural blonde, and _second_ best trainer in the entire world. The first being myself, of course. Haha, just kidding, honest. If I could just get my Tatsu to evolve…but I digress.

Ana also gave this book so I could vent. I think she's sick of my ranting, but I don't care. What is she _thinking_, marrying that smelly, overweight, son of a chamber pot? I don't _care_ if he's a king, and I wouldn't care if he was the last man on earth!

But Layla, Ana would say, in that cajoling way of hers. You've never met him! I promise he doesn't smell, and he's very charming. You two will be best friends for sure! And then she would sigh dreamily and I would let her know what I thought of that by gagging, except I would be sure she couldn't really see me.

I for one need some air. Time to break a few helpless trees, freeze the road in hopes he will come down it, ect. My name is Layla Crie. If you see my name in the history books, it will probably be because I threw the king into a Gyarados infested lake and laughed.

OoO

June 10: I still don't like him. Forget what I told Ana, this book is for secrets isn't it? She gave it to me, and must therefore suffer the consequences.

He came today, riding an armored Rapidash with a fiery mane that looked brighter than the sun. Does one man really need that many guards? I don't think so. He isn't fat. I was a little disappointed. The king is hard looking, like he's made of stone or something. Ana was gushing about how handsome he is, but I don't see it. There's something wrong with his eyes. The eyes of a killer, or a reptile, you know? Cold.

The man does, unfortunately, have one talent. He knows how to tell a story. Growing up here, I forget that the outside world even exists. Ana's dad kept her in a warm, safe bubble, and I was always with Ana. A new story, and a good one at that! I'll tell it to my Pokemon later, as a treat.

The outside world isn't as stable and calm as we were led to believe. Oh, it gives me shivers to even write that! But it's true. A rebel faction has been causing trouble lately, a mysterious group calling themselves the Scorned. They say, and I quote, "the Scorned want nothing more than to bring the kingdom to its knees."

One other good thing came out of this whole ridiculous marriage. Ana needs a maid, or so says king uppity pants. And she, of course, chose me! You should have seen the kings face when she did! Ahahaha, it makes me chuckle even now! For some reason he doesn't like me. It may have had something to do with the snowballs. In June. Note to self: Give Miri a sweetcake as a reward for a job well done.

You can't prove it was me anyways, old man! Ha!

OoO

June 11 _You left this book on my dresser. Oh Layla, I just knew you threw those snowballs! Shame on you for using your Glaceon like that! No more snow, and if I catch you trying to get So-Ah to use Stun Spore on him again I'll turn you in! You can count on it!_

_~Analynn_

_P.S Let the Scorned thing go, Layla. They are heathens and criminals, not some vigilante group fighting for justice. You always did like the scary stories too much._

OoO

June 13 Drat. Foiled by my own…er, distraction. Come on, Ana, like a Stun Spore would have changed him much! He's stiff as a board anyways! It's his own fault, telling us boring things like who is going to conquer who, and what new 'regulations' he has in mind. I mean, come on! Boring! I don't care what he's planning to do with his so called army, which I could beat by the way! I want to hear more about the exciting things, like the Scorned.

Now that I'm asking, I hear a lot about this group. Their leaders name is Devin Nightwalker, the scourge of the eastern lands. His goal is unknown, his motives unclear, but he's single-handedly saved a ton of people from soldiers who weren't upholding the law. He's said to harbor a deep hatred towards the ruling family, something about his father's death. It is for this reason that I think we would get along famously. Anyone who dislikes King puppy kicker is a friend of mine!

P.S Ana, stop reading my diary. And your fiancée smells of Pokemon dung.

OoO

June 21: I'm leaving. Oh, writing it down makes it look so _final_. I'm leaving, I'm leaving, I'm leaving. Ana got married today, in a cloud of white roses and music, just like she always wanted. My plans for disposing of the king sadly never came to fruition. I wore my bridesmaid dress without complaining, and even managed to get through a handshake with the new husband. I think it may have given me some disease. Oh, the things I suffer for you Ana!

And so, tomorrow morning we leave, on a journey all the way to the heart of Halleden. I've never seen the castle before. I'm a little nervous. It's said you can see the spires anywhere in the kingdom, but I guess we're just too far away. The king and his new queen (ugh) will meet their subjects there, and have a blessedly short honeymoon afterwards. I get her all to myself for one more week, until we arrive, and I'm determined to make the most of it. But first I need to say goodbye to this place, with its old stone mansion covered with ivy, and the streams where Ana and I used to play. (Also the same stream I caught my darling Walter)

I'll miss you, Harthrow Estate! But nothing could stop me from leaving you this time!

OoO

June 25: Been on the road for three days. Was Halleden always this big? I can see horizon to horizon, and the sheer size is intoxicating. I'll never get enough of this, not in a thousand years.

OoO

June 27: Today was a shock, and a reality check. Have you ever been to a little town called Zaphyr? I'd heard about it before, from legends of the Scorned. The stories say the Scorned saved the entire town from a band of mercenaries, led by Devin himself. But when we got here, introduced by a symphony of trumpets, the entire town was just…empty. Oh, there were people alright, but they disappeared behind doors and shutters, leaving the streets desolate and bare.

I thought the Scorned made life better for people, but I guess it was just a story in the end.

OoO

June 30:(After midnight) Can't write much. Must sleep. In short, the ever plot conscious and paranoid king decided that it wasn't safe for his new bride to be introduced to the kingdom in so public a manner. He decided that I, I of all people, would stand in for her during the endless introductions and public wavings and all sorts of silly things. I've never seen so many people in my life, which was overwhelming enough. I was also obliged to wear a blonde wig which itched like none other. I suspect it was hand picked by the king himself. Possible revenge for the attack of the 'wild and extremely evil Quagsire' incident. I'll have to remember to keep Walter hidden for a while.

I thought I saw something, while I was standing on that ridiculous stone balcony they use for royalty, waving to a crowd with more people than I thought existed. It was a Pokemon, standing on the outer walls. It was dazzling blue, with a majestic mane that didn't quite seem to flow in the same direction as the wind. It seemed to be looking at me, although I could be imagining things. Whatever it was, it was beautiful. The sight was enough to keep me both sane and composed for the rest of that agonizing day.

OoO

July 8: I escaped the palace today. I regret nothing, although Ana will probably be mad at me. I needed fresh air like I needed water, chocolate, and other necessities. I found a beautiful little glen in the Whispermist forest, a gorgeous clearing full of sunshine and flowers, complete with a little stream for my Pokemon to play in. My feet are currently in said water, and I'm pretty sure my hair is full of grass. Ahhh, the joy of not being perfect! No brushes, no clips, no ridiculous shoes, and best of all, I'm wearing pants. The scandal would make Ana faint dead away, the poor thing. I feel like a villain, and the thought makes me grin.

The only one not happy right now is my poor Mireal. She absolutely hates the heat, and is currently sulking under a newly frozen tree, glaring at the others. Miri is a bit of a mystery. To this day, I have no idea why a Glaceon was on Harthrow Estate, so far away from anything resembling snow. I named her after that old legend, the one about the white haired princess, and she seems happy enough. She gets into the occasional fight with Nivali, but that's to be expected, considering.

OoO

August 13 It seems like a lifetime since I last picked up this book. The summer has been one of the happiest of my life, despite Ana's marriage to the old fart. He's been away for most of it, for one thing, on some 'business' of his. On most days I can be with Ana, and on the days he is here I can always escape to my glen in the forest. Two important things have happened of late. First, the King approached me (personally, although from the look on his face you would think he was choking. Haha.) and informed me that I am to stand in for Ana during some conference with the commoners. The land is seething with discontent, so it really is possible she will be a target. I haven't told her, and I'm not going to. She would only worry about me. This time, Ana, I'll protect you, like you've protected me all these years. I'll be fine!

I may not like him, but it's clear he really does care about Ana in his own way. I'll give him that.

My second piece of news is far bigger than the last. I don't even know how to write it. Last night, Ana came into my room with the biggest smile on her face, practically glowing in a way that should be illegal. She's going to have a baby. A baby! I laughed and I cried, all along with her, and all the while I couldn't make sense of what I was feeling. I'm thrilled for her, of course, and I wish her all the happiness in the world, but…I don't like it. It's just a feeling, but something seems wrong. I have a bad feeling about this.

I'll ask Nivali about it, tomorrow, after training. I just need to know that everything will be okay.

OoO

August 14 Today I went to my clearing, for some training and exercise, but someone else was already there. He had the strangest shade of hair, a blue so dark it was almost purple. I was about to leave when he saw me. He attacked me! Can you believe it? Before I could react, he had two Pokemon out, a Houndoom and a Weavile, with orders to stop me. Luckily Miri and Tatsu had better reflexes than I. They were out in an instant, and full out battle ensued. He was so strong I can hardly believe it, even now. He was stronger than Ana, and yes, stronger than me. I didn't care. I was spitting mad, and I fought like a demon, better than I've ever fought before.

I beat him, barely, and the look on his face was worth its weight in gold. I demanded to know what he was doing, attacking girls in the middle of a forest, with Nivali in front of me growling up a storm. (she was still conscious, bless her, after everything) He looked so stunned I almost felt bad for him. Almost. He asked why I was there. I told him I was trying to train, in a calm rational voice, (Ha.) and repeated my question. He looked so abashed, I _did_ feel bad for him, that time. He bowed, which was odd, and apologized. Then he started laughing. I didn't catch much, but the 'beat by a girl' part I did get.

All in all, a strange, irritating encounter. He refused to explain himself, other than 'I have many enemies', which doesn't make sense, and started calling me 'darling' instead of my name, which was even more annoying. He offered to help me evolve Tatsu into a Scizor, but I turned him down flat. I'll do that myself, thank-you-very-much.

So-Ah, my Vileplume, took the worst damage, but she'll be okay. Walter single-handedly took out three of his Pokemon! That's what he got for laughing at my friends name! Ha!

OoO

August 15 I don't have much time to write. Today's the day I stand in for Ana again. I'm getting my makeup done by the castle stylists, so I look more like her. My hair will be covered with that abominable wig again, and a knife is hidden in my sleeve. I have all five of my Poke balls in a strap around my shin, just above the boot. Just in case. I'm writing to make the process go by a little faster.

No time to stash this book in my room. It will go under this evil corset for now, which is thankfully not tight enough to choke me. There are so many guards in the audience chamber today. I sincerely hope the king got a bad tip.

I'm scared. There, I wrote it. I'm scared, but at least Ana doesn't have to be.

OoO

August 15, or 16. I failed. Oh Ana, I'm so sorry! I'm so cold, and this dress does absolutely nothing to keep me warm, but I don't even care. I should have fought harder. I should have…

Let me back up. I need to put my thoughts in order, or I'll never stop crying. The king was right. It was in the middle of the audience with representatives from major cities in Halleden. Half of the guards suddenly drew their swords and attacked the others. At the same moment, the representatives drew their Poke balls.

I never stood a chance. I reached for my Poke balls first, but my arm was caught and twisted back, and they were taken. I was carried out, despite my struggles, bound hand and foot and thrown into the back of a cart after being blindfolded and gagged. Before I was blinded, I cast my eyes to the sky, and saw that Pokemon again, regarding me with cold blue eyes from the castle ramparts.

Everything was planned. I saw the mark the rebels had, the black slash that looks like a scorch mark. It was the mark of the Scorned. They've taken me, and they would have taken Ana. Oh how I hate them right now!

After a few hours I realized I still had my knife, forgotten in my sleeve. I managed to get it out and free my hands and feet. I tore off the gag and blindfold with pleasure, but I'm still trapped despite this new freedom. The cart bounces and rattles, and I'm trapped in some kind of box. I can see the moon in the slits between the planks, in between cloudy patches.

I write to calm myself, but it's no use. I don't know how I'm going to get out of this one. I love you Ana, and I hope you'll take care of my Pokemon if you can find them. If this cold doesn't kill me, the Scorned will, when they find out I'm not you. Stay safe, and never forget me!

Note: I was about to say it couldn't get any worse. The thunder proved me wrong.

OoO

August 17? I'm alive! Oh there's so much to write! The Scorned brought me to their camp, deep in the mountains, late last night, or this morning. Everything is not what I thought it was. Everything, everything has changed!

The first thing was a shock, and not just for me. I was sleeping when we arrived, but the second the cart stopped my eyes snapped open. I was ready for them when the lid was opened. I jumped out, slashing with my knife, surprising the group around me. One man made a grab for me, ripping off that horrible wig, and I got a handful of his hair. I twisted it and held the knife to his throat, my teeth bared. The crowd parted, and I heard a voice, so full of surprise I nearly dropped my weapon.

"Darling?" Devin said, and I recognized him from the other day. The man I met in the woods was none other than Devin Nightwalker, leader and founder of the Scorned. I gaped, and much to my chagrin, he burst out laughing once more.

"Capture the Queenling, you said," he laughed, "she'll be easy prey, you said. Well now we've got a black haired spitfire instead of a simpering blonde. What do you suggest we do with her?"

Well, I certainly had something to say about that, but it only made Devin laugh harder. He actually had to sit down he was so out of breath! That irritating, stuck up…but I digress. After Devin caught his breath, he stood up. "Well, darling, now we've got a problem," he said. "You've seen our camp, and we can't have that. Seems like the only option is to keep you with us. Join us, and we'll let you walk free. Say no, and we'll have to tie you up again."

I was stuck. I absolutely did not want to be tied up again, and even with my hostage there was no way I could get out on my own. Devin saw my dilemma, and after a while he spoke again. "Do you even know why we fight?" he said, or something similar. "Do you know who we're fighting against?"

"King puppy kicker," I replied promptly, and while his lips quivered he didn't laugh again. His answer was what changed the world. I can't even believe how wrong we were, Ana and I.

"Wrong," Devin said, his voice going soft. "We fight the false king. The current ruler is the man who slaughtered the last King and Queen in their sleep and stole the throne. He set it up to look like an accident. He set the castle on fire inside to cover up, and even though the stone walls stayed standing, everything inside was destroyed."

I was stunned into silence, and my knife hand dropped. This did not fit with my image of the king. I disliked him, but…this? Devin continued, his voice rough. "Over two hundred people were burned alive that day, including my father. The false king took the throne, and has been ruling for two years since."

"But he can still be defeated. Something survived the fire, something that can expose him for the fraud he is." Here, Devin stepped back, and two children stepped forward, shyly. A girl, about twelve, had her arms protectively around a young boy. Both had dark, dark, hair like midnight and ink.

"Their two children survived that night. Darling, I'd like you to meet Kylara and Tero, the true heirs to the throne of Halleden."

~o~

Indigo sat back against the wall, his mind reeling. The library was silent and dark, except for the circle of light his torch cast on the walls. Layla's diary was in his lap. Everything seemed to have changed. But was it a change for the better? His mind whirled. Was his side really the right one? _Was_ there a right side in the first place?

The king was a fake. He was a murderer, and a menace, and he was _Riza's father_. He was protecting that mans kingdom, even though it had been stolen. Tero and Kylara, whoever they were, were the true heirs. Indigo wondered if either of them were still alive, after all this time.

"You see?" Mayanna said, "You understand now, right, Nightwalker?" Indigo jerked, almost falling over. She was _right next to him_. Again. How did she do that?

"My name is Indigo," he said, sighing as he gave up. There was no way to explain her ninja ways. "Nightwalker is just a title. I was named after the past leader of the Scorned, wasn't I? The doctor has a messed up sense of humor."

"You still don't get it?" Mayanna laughed. "You are dense, Nightwalker. He knew almost from the start who you were."

Indigo thought about this for a moment. Mayanna was talking in riddles. Not unusual, for her. "I'm just an orphaned idiot who can't do anything right," Indigo said at last. "I've made a mess of everything. I don't even know how to face her anymore. What do I say? What _can_ I say?"

Mayanna was silent for a long time. The torch crackled and spat, the only sound in the darkness. "He killed my father," she said in a small voice. "He burned him alive."

Indigo jerked back with surprise, shock coursing through him at her words. There was only one person she could be talking about. "And you _follow_ him?" he demanded with thinly veiled disgust and horror. "The man who killed your father?"

"No, no," the brunette said, shaking her head. "It's _because_ he killed him. My father was the one who…he was a bad man. He was trying to create the perfect human, by mixing Pokemon DNA into their genetic makeup. The original Doctor Camellia. He…he was a _bad_ man," Mayanna said, her voice cracking. Indigo realized with horror that she was crying.

"Er, there there," Indigo soothed, awkwardly putting an arm around her. His mind blanked out confronted with this situation. "It's okay?"

She didn't seem to notice his presence. It was like she had forgotten he was even there. "He made me like this," she sobbed into her knees. "He tested his experiment on me, _me_, and now I can't even feel anymore, not unless I'm thinking of my master. My master, who perfected the experiment just in time to save my life, but not in time to save my emotions, even though he had been experimented on as well, even though his sister was…was…"

Indigo went very still. "You too?" he said, his voice pained. "You have the Pokemon experiment too?"

Mayanna nodded jerkily. "I was the first. His own child, he…would you like to see?" she said unexpectedly, looking up at him with bright eyes. "Can I show you? Please?"

"Sure," Indigo said warily. Her eyes crinkled ever so slightly at his obvious worry. And then, her eyes _changed_. Brown bled to blue, and then to green, until it was like he was looking at a completely different set of eyes. He stifled a hiss, forcing himself not to recoil.

"What was _that_?" Indigo gasped, staring helplessly as her eyes changed back to warm brown. Mayanna was smiling, a ghost of a smile that was almost a grin.

"Riza was experimented on with ghost DNA," she said simply, "My master, with fire. My own Pokemon experiment came from a Ditto. I can't change into objects, or Pokemon, but my appearance is easy. See?"

Indigo scooted back a little as Mayanna's face went as pale as snow, her hair bleeding white. "Cool, cool," Indigo squeaked. "Mireal, right? Spot on. Now can you…go back?" Laughing now, she did so. Indigo tried not to shudder. Definitely creepy.

"You seem tired lately," Mayanna said simply, sitting back against the wall with a smile still on her face. "Perhaps you are bored without any missions? Your Pokemon must be."

"What? No! I…I just haven't been sleeping well!" Indigo defended himself. "Nightmares, actually." He blanched. What had possessed him to tell the truth?

"That does explain it," Mayanna said, nodding. "No wonder Entei has killed so many people lately. You've been ordering it to."

"I have not given Entei any orders," Indigo growled harshly, stung by her nonchalant accusation. "Not one. Entei is acting on its own. It isn't my fault!"

But Mayanna was already shaking her head. Her eyes had already lost their light, becoming dull and flat once again. "Entei is controlled by the Volcano fur, and your desires in turn control the Volcano fur. If your heart is conflicted, it will reflect on Entei's actions. You have been forcing it to attack. You, personally. We told you the fur was dangerous, but you did not heed us."

Indigo felt as though time stopped as she spoke. It couldn't be that simple. He had never tried to hurt anyone. He had never wanted…he had never…

"You fight bravely, Indigo Nightwalker," Mayanna said simply, rising to her feet. "But you don't know what you've started. Read Layla's diary, and think about right and wrong. No one side is completely white, no matter how good the intentions. Your side may in fact be the most grey of all."

~o~

The tables had turned. This time, Indigo reflected, they really might die.

"Let him go!" Violet shouted, her anger making her Aura flare up like a sunburst, bright and hot. Karo laughed gleefully, drinking in her defiance like a sponge. Ghosts hissed through the air, cackling madly with renewed purpose. Roy shouted from somewhere high above, hidden from view by the veil of the dead.

"Violet," Indigo said softly. She heard him. Her mouth set into a grim line as her eyes hardened. There was only one way out of this. She clasped a sphere to her hands, and recalled her wounded Ditto.

A circle had formed around them, comprised of ghosts and black eyed dragons, leaving Indigo and Violet alone in the center. Lance faced them, his head leaning to one side as he smiled a distorted grin. "Lets play, little Violet," Lance said, his voice in unison with Karo's. "I want to see you bleed. You've caused me quite a bit of trouble after all."

"Indigo…in case we don't get through this," Violet said quietly, her eyes never leaving Lance's. "I just want you to know you're the best partner I could have asked for. I don't regret anything."

"Don't," Indigo bit out, settling into a warriors stance. "Don't you dare say goodbye. We're going to win, and one day you're going to be the Champion yourself. I won't let this end here. We can do anything together, remember?"

She nodded, biting her lower lip. Indigo closed his eyes and reconnected with the web of Aura surrounding them, his senses bursting into clarity like fire. He saw everything, from the hot pulse of Aura surrounding the dragons to Violets steady heartbeat beside him.

There was no thought of returning in his mind. Every cell of his being was readying himself for the fight for her life.

"Kill him, and bring me the girl," Karo snarled with savage joy, his orange eyes alight with crazed bloodlust. "All I need is her mind. If her body is broken, so be it." Lance raised one hand to point at Indigo's trainer and best friend, the rest of his body strangely limp, like a puppet. Dragons roared, and Indigo's crimson eyes snapped open.

"To the left, and Force Palm!" Violet screamed over the cacophony of roars, her desperate determination making itself known. "Avoid that Dragon Claw…now, Dark Pulse! Aim for the wing juncture, and Force Palm again! Quick Attack to dodge, don't get hit by that Ancient Power-"

Indigo hit the glowing rocks out of his path using twin Force Palms that glowed white in the winter air. The battle was horribly mismatched, but Lance's dragons were slowed by the ghosts inhabiting them, and by the dulled reflexes of the Champion. His dragons were nowhere near full strength, after battling Karo for so long, which further slowed their attacks ferocity.

But despite all that, Indigo found himself fighting just to stay alive as he battled the strongest beings in Kanto. Violets stream of commands never faltered, and saved his life more times than he could count as her sharp eyes saw things his couldn't. Indigo ducked and weaved between slashing fangs and jaws, striking where Violet told him to, before retreating so he could try to survive long enough to strike again. The sheer power of the immense dragons was incomprehensible. What they could do, if used by the wrong people, what havoc they could wreak on this world…it made his blood run cold just to think of it.

"Indigo, use your strongest Dark Pulse, _NOW_!" Violet shouted, and Indigo reacted instantaneously, gathering dark power and thoughts to his soul. He released the painful blast in a split second, the black energy ripping out of his Aura like the plague in a pulsing ring of death and malice. It hit a Dragonite full on, right across the eyes. The massive dragon roared in agony, the sound echoed by the ghost within, its flight thrown off. It hit the cliff face of the mountain in a cloud of dust and rumbling stone.

Before Lance could react, Indigo leaped into the air, landing on the Aerodactyls back. He hit the base of its wing with all his strength, making something crack. The prehistoric monster screamed as it plummeted back to the earth.

"-digo, Detect!" Came Violets shriek, and he looked up just in time to see a Hyper Beam arcing down from the heavens, a golden beam of light and destruction that blotted out the stars and sent streaks across his vision. It hit his hastily formed bubble of protection like a meteor, deadly light spilling out across the ground as it was refracted by his Detect, scorching everything in its path. Indigo fell to one knee panting as the attack finally ceased, the ground around him burnt black. Lance's final Dragonite hurtled down from the sky, directly towards him in the wake of the Hyper Beam.

It was like all the sound in the raging battle ceased as Indigo watched the Dragonite hurtle towards him, fangs bared as it hurtled directly down in a suicide dive. It didn't even need to wait until it could attack again. The dragons sheer mass would destroy him as easily as any Hyper Beam. He knew he wouldn't be able to move in time.

A boom shook the earth as the Dragonite hit the ground, scattering dust and air in the resulting shockwave. Indigo became aware of the sound of labored breathing next to his ear, at the same moment he registered that he was still alive.

"Why didn't you move?" Violet gasped, getting to her knees. "You could have died, Indigo! If I hadn't…you…"

Indigo stared at the sky, a part of him heeding her words. If she hadn't thrown him to the side…if she had been a second slower…

"Get down!" Indigo shouted, shoving his trainer to the ground as a stream of freezing ice wreathed with mist shot over their heads. The mist parted, revealing Lance's Gyarados lunging towards them, fangs bared in a hideous grimace as it snaked through the air. Indigo hit the ground on his back, shoving up with both his legs, the move propelling the Gyarados past them both.

Indigo was on his feet again in an instant, adrenaline spiking through his blood at the near miss. The Gyarados reared, hissing fearlessly through white fangs. Indigo's eyes flickered to Violet, half crouched on one arm, her amethyst eyes locked in the gaze of the snake.

He couldn't give up here. Forget how his muscles burned like fire, forget his screaming head, forget the slow creep of desperation and fear in his heart, forget how hopeless the situation was, surrounded by thousands of shrieking ghosts. If he lost, he would lose more than pride.

Loss?

In a flash of clarity, Indigo understood what the Ninetales had meant that day. A new purpose flowed through him, and Indigo stood, facing the Gyarados with one palm outstretched. His inner struggles gone, like they had never existed, he waited for the moment he knew would come.

"Come and get her," Indigo growled low, his voice rumbling. "I dare you."

Lance's Gyarados shrieked with a voice like nightmares and gale force winds. It lunged towards him with gaping jaws, its fangs coated with dripping poison that burned holes in the earth where it landed.

The flow of Aura around Indigo solidified, circulating around him like a sphere made of silvery veins of power. Indigo stood, his arm outstretched, until the Gyarados was a bare ten feet in front of him. His normally crimson eyes opened, and they were the color of stars. The heartbeat of the planet flowed through his soul, and Indigo knew what it was he had been missing this entire time.

The Gyarados closed in on him, and Indigo fired a fiery silver Aura Sphere from between his crackling palms. It streaked through the serpents jaws, lighting its path with harsh metallic light. The attack exploded against the base of the Gyarados's throat, rocketing the massive Pokemon back through the air as though it were a doll.

The energy left his body slowly, leaving Indigo standing tall. Power flowed through him still, but it went deeper now, forging his new strength into his being like iron. Indigo could sense Violet behind him, staring with those wide eyes of hers, mouth agape.

"Power isn't just about ability," Indigo said softly, the words resonating in his heart, the feeling so _right_ he knew their truth even as he spoke them. "True strength comes from the heart. It is impossible to know true power unless you find something dear to you, something you would give your very life to protect. Fighting for another's sake is where real strength lies."

"Indigo," Violet said with awe, her voice cracking slightly. "Do you have _any_ idea how cool that was?"

A grin flashed across his face at her words. Indigo turned, extending a paw to help her stand. They held hands as though they were warriors after a battle. Indigo looked into her eyes, and saw finally that they were different from Riza's.

"Indigo, look out!" Violet shouted suddenly, her gaze going over his shoulder. Indigo whirled, one arm in front of Violet protectively. Lance's final Dragonite stood shakily, somehow still conscious after hitting the ground with the force of a meteorite. Its glazed eyes focused on them, and light gathered in an orb in front of its gaping mouth.

Time slowed as the Dragonite fired a final golden Hyper Beam, before falling to the side unconscious. Indigo tried to move, only to have his muscles betray him, clenching savagely in protest. All his wounds made themselves known at once, the battle catching up to him finally, in this last crucial moment.

The beam of pure energy filled his vision, an attack so large he knew dodging would be impossible. Even from this distance, the attack would destroy them. The Hyper Beam continued on towards Violet and Indigo.

Indigo looked up at his partner and friend. Crimson eyes met violet, full of worry.

"I get it now," Violet whispered, half to herself. Then she shoved Indigo down to the ground and spun to face the attack arcing towards them both, almost in slow motion.

"Tell Riza about me, when you get back," Violet said softly, her voice barely audible. The Hyper Beam arced closer, throwing her shadow into stark relief. Her words registered somewhere in his brain, in a place that hadn't shut down completely with shock. Violet squeezed her eyes shut as she turned her face away from him. Indigo saw another image for a split second, of a boy with dark brown hair and golden eyes.

"Love you, Indigo. My friend and partner, forever."

~o~

August 21 I have joined the Scorned. Is it really such a surprise? If only she knew, Ana herself could not blame me. The one thing I hate is not being able to see you, Ana, but I can't go back now. It fills my heart with pain to think of you worrying about me, but even I see the wisdom in keeping away. If only you were here with me, everything would be perfect.

Nivali just laughed at me. Something about my timing being awful, and cliffhangers? She says strange things sometimes, but then, she knows a lot more than I do about, well, everything. Anyways.

After my initiation presided over by Devin himself, the eternal show off, I was inducted into the ranks of the Scorned. I got a clap on the back and a kiss on the cheek which absolutely did not make me blush. I've never been so happy in my life. I feel like I'm a part of something bigger than I, something that will change the world as I know it.

That wasn't even the best part of my day. Devin's second in command is an irritating, constantly pessimistic girl named Kaya. I swear, she has nothing good to say about anyone! As soon as I was officially a member, she made a snide comment about the Scorned not needing any simpering city bred weaklings.

Ooh. Oh yes, she did.

I didn't say a word, which, for me, showed remarkable self restraint. Instead I turned to Devin and asked for my partners back. I can't imagine what expression he must have seen on my face, to make him shake his head at Kaya like that, laughing ever so slightly. He snapped his fingers, and in moments I had my Pokemon again, safe and sound in their poke balls.

"You think you can beat me?" Kaya laughed, her voice full of scorn. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate pink hair? Grrr. "A soft little newbie like you? I could beat your entire team with a single Pokemon, child."

By now, a group had formed. Well, I wasn't going to lose to some prick, crowd or not. "One on one then," I said, sounding cool and dignified. "Loser gets a haircut from my Scyther. He has really awful aim."

"Fine!" Kaya shouted, her face flushed. "You're going to lose that long hair of yours, _princess_. Everyone here knows I'm the best!"

"I'm betting on the newbie," Devin called out from the sidelines, a bowl of miraculously procured popcorn in his arms. He was sharing it with a very uncertain looking Kylara, who still had yet to say a word to me. Tero was sitting on the ground, watching us with wide, solemn eyes, his thumb in his mouth.

That child is adorable. But more on that later.

Kaya let out her Pokemon, a massive Nidoqueen the color of the midsummer sky. She grinned then. "How about we spice things up a bit princess? Loser gets a haircut…and if you lose, you have to kiss our fearless leader."

"I'd like to change my bet," Devin called out, grinning now. I gritted my teeth. I was definitely _not_ losing.

I let Nivali loose then, and her snarls could have scared a ghost away screaming. We fought as though we were one being, Nivali and I, and through that entire hour long battle she shone like the sun. I've never been so proud to be her master, and friend. And I must say, short hair really, _doesn't_ suit Kaya.

After I beat that Nidoqueen of hers, I just stood there, hardly believing it was over. And then I heard cheering, and someone lifted me up on their shoulders to carry me through the crowd, and I knew in that moment that I had found somewhere I really belonged.

The moon has risen already, in its veil of stars. Oh, Ana, I miss you dearly. I wish you could be here, my one true friend. Maybe we're looking at the same sky right now, sister.

OoO

September 10 I snuck out today, to walk in the mountains. Responsibility and rules are fine and good, but I need a respite occasionally, like a walk alone through the woods. I left behind all my Pokemon for this walk. They've been working hard, my poor darlings, and they needed rest. I could use the rest too, but stretching my legs seemed more important.

I hiked for a few hours, and eventually found a mountain lake, as clear blue as the sky. I don't think I've ever seen any place so beautiful. The water is surrounded on three sides by towering grey cliff, and the air is so sharp and clear it just makes me feel alive.

I took off my shirt and trousers, (Oh stop it Ana, I was wearing plenty underneath!) and dove into the water. It was so _cold_ I couldn't believe it, and I came to the surface shrieking with wild delight and shock. I've never seen water so blue, and after a few minutes my skin matched. I was just about to swim to shore when I heard a twig snap from somewhere nearby.

I ducked down, so only half my head was above water, and looked around warily. All was quiet for a few minutes, and then '_snap'_. Someone was out there.

Cursing myself for not bringing my Pokemon, I slipped underwater, kicking my feet towards my clothes back on shore. They were half hidden in a rocky outcropping, but even so, I was wary as I finally surfaced. I had my shoulders out of the water when I heard the voice.

"Darling?" he said, that arrogant, impossible man, and I looked up and saw him, sitting there with a book in his hand. "Looking good today. This _is_ a pleasant surprise."

I gaped for about half a second until I plunged back into the water, glaring at him fiercely over my blush. How dare he come here, to my place, and pop up out of nowhere? How did he even _get_ here, anyways? I asked him that.

"I flew on my Fearow, of course." Devin said. He hadn't stopped grinning since I'd shown up. Men, I swear. "This place is a great spot to relax. Beautiful, isolated, and…full of unexpected surprises."

"Not funny," I hissed at him, still bright red. My underclothes, while fairly modest, were still…very wet. Oh, I die to think of it! "Go away."

"My book is just getting good. Don't worry, I won't look. Would you like a blanket?" he said, eyebrows raised. I deliberated for a moment, and stood up. A blanket _did_ sound nice, and my teeth were chattering. He did, as promised, turn away, although I could tell he was still grinning.

"Did you follow me here?" I demanded, as I pulled my shirt back on. Stars, but it was cold! I shiver to remember it!

"I did not, although if I'd known you were hiking without protection, I might have," Devin said offhand. "Why didn't you bring your Pokemon? You could have met up with some weirdo up here."

"Too late," I muttered under my breath, pulling the blanket around my now fully clothed, but still wet, self. I was regretting my trip already. "You can turn around now," I said, louder.

He did, _still_ grinning, but his smile faded as he looked out across the lake. "Darling, stay very quiet, he said softly. He took a step forward, and guided me back, his every step careful. "Don't move," he whispered in my ear, and I tensed.

The lake was covered in mist, and the sun had been blocked by grey clouds. I was sure there hadn't been any fog when I last looked. There we were, crouched behind a boulder, when I saw it.

It came from nowhere, melting from the wisps of fog itself. It was blue and white, with eyes that knew too much, and a mane that flowed with no wind. It stood on the surface of the water, balanced like a dancer on the glassy surface of the lake.

"Suicune," Devin breathed, his eyes wide and his voice hushed. "The embodiment of the North Wind. You're lucky to see this, darling."

I couldn't answer, so shocked was I. This same Pokemon, the beautiful, godlike legendary I had seen before, was here again in front of my stunned eyes. It looked up at the sky, and then back down, eyes closed. In a single fluid leap, it was gone, like it had never been there in the first place.

"_Oh_," I breathed in a rush, my gaze glued to the fading mist. The sun came out, surprising me so much I jumped. Devin jumped too, with his arm around me. Our eyes met, and we burst into laughter, breathless and exhilarated.

He is irritating, proud, and mocking, but maybe he isn't all bad.

OoO

September 11 If I don't write, I'll go mad. I have to get this down on paper, if only to consolidate it in my own mind. The Scorned are camped in a small mountain range near the neighboring town of Karraket, hidden by a ridge that juts into the sky. We trade with towns folk for supplies, and in return we protect them from the cruelties of the kings army. It is well known that Karraket is a safe place to live. Devin's own sister, a beautiful, fragile girl named Linalay, lives nearby with her husband. She did, anyways.

Karraket town has been taken hostage. The king himself brought five hundred soldiers under cover of night, and began tearing men from their beds. Mass recruitment for the army, the king called it. Every man in the town, between the ages of 15 and 65 were taken, and forced to join. If someone refused, they were killed on spot.

Oh, and as if this carnage weren't enough! Families torn apart, friends, husbands, lovers killed without trial…but our dear king had revenge on his mind when he came to Karraket. The greatest horror was yet to come.

Sixty men and women, trainers, supporters and friends of the Scorned from across Halleden, were brought forward, and asked to declare loyalty to the king. One by one, they all refused. Long live the Scorned, they said. All were escorted into the Courthouse, at the center of town, and then locked in.

"As an example!" The king shouted then, his soldiers surrounding the building in a line, about thirty feet away from the walls. "Let traitors be cleansed, and citizens made sure of their loyalties!"

One of our members was present at the time, and he saw everything. News of this will be all over Halleden within days. The king dropped his hand then, and the signal was given.

Fire Pokemon interspersing the line of soldiers bathed the Courthouse with flames. Screams could be heard from within. It didn't take long for the dry wood to catch fire, not after such a long summer. People tried to escape, but the soldiers cut them down. Others tried to help, from outside, but they were all-

I can't do this. Writing is too much. All in the building died, suffice it to say, along with six others who tried to help. Linalay's husband was among them. She is in grieving, and our medic, Kaya, says she may never fully recover.

When the messenger brought the news, the fire glow still fresh on the horizon, the entire camp went silent in a way I didn't think possible. We all knew what this meant. Before we had fought a one-sided struggle against the monarchy, but now, the King of Halleden had declared war. No longer would our names be whispered as legend and fable. We had been recognized as an enemy, and all of Halleden would be forced to choose sides.

Devin didn't speak a single word, other than a few questions to clarify points. Finally, the messenger stated that the King planned a similar event to be held in two days time. In his speech, he dared the leader of the Scorned to save his people. He shouted to the shocked town that his challenge would go unanswered.

I know it's a trap. He knows it too, but all the same…

Devin has been in his tent since we received the news. Daybreak is hours away, and I can't help the feeling that something else has broken in my world.

OoO

September 12 Today is the day. His counselors have been in his tent since the morning, and many have been called for. I was not one of them. I was practically coming apart with the need to speak to Devin, but only those who were summoned were allowed inside. I knew what he was planning, and I wasn't going to stand by.

Finally, people started to filter out, grim looks on their faces. Devin was the last to leave. I had been waiting outside for nearly three hours.

"I'm coming with you," I said out loud, my eyes full of fire. "I can help."

His eyes were hollow when they looked at me. "No," he said simply, the word so final it stunned me.

"I can fight!" I shouted then, when he turned away. "I'm strong enough to do this! You can't stop me!"

"I'm sorry, darling," he said, looking over his shoulder. "But this fight won't be a training battle. It will be _war_. People are going to get hurt, and you will _not_ be one of them. Go back to your tent."

This cold dismissal, this rejection…I had thought we were getting to be friends. I never expected those words from him. "Hypocrite!" I shouted at him, fury gripping me. "You kidnap me to fight your war, and now you tell me to stay here, safe and helpless? I don't think so! I want to _help_, not watch you walk away!"

_That_ certainly got to him. He whirled, murder in his eyes as he glared at me. "This is not a game!" he shouted, and I couldn't help but flinch. "You're good darling, but you've never seen death, not like this. People, _my_ people, have already paid the price for my mistakes. You think you can handle it?" I was silent, stunned into immobility. He saw, and continued. "Prove it, darling. Beat me, and I'll let you come."

My head, which had been sinking down with shame, snapped up at his words.

I had fought him before, and won. But this was different. Everything was on the line here, and every member of the Scorned was watching. My heart beat five times as I made my decision.

I battled him with every ounce of strength and determination I had in my body, and my Pokemon fought like our lives depended on it. I forgot the outside world, and my resolve was tested against his, in a battle between equals. It took less than half an hour, but it felt like a lifetime.

When the last of my Pokemon fainted, I collapsed, breathing hard. Sweat dripped down my face as I stared at the ground, stunned by the strength I had witnessed in him. I didn't dare look up. I couldn't. I had lost, and the knowledge crushed me.

Seconds passed, and then he spoke, his own voice ragged. "Pack your things, darling. We leave at sunset, with or without you."

OoO

September 15

I was a child when I left home. Nothing more. Now I have seen death and blood and pain, and it frightens me still, but I have learned to live on. None of us was untouched by the horrors we witnessed, but then, that's what heroes do, isn't it? They fight on.

We made it to the execution site hours before sunrise, under cover of darkness and with the blessings of the stars to guide us. Six figures could be seen, tied to posts above funeral pyres, lining the main street that cut through town. Their heads were down, as though they were praying. No one else was in sight.

That should have been our first clue.

Devin motioned with his fingers, sending three men to get closer. I tried to go too, but a warning glance from him stopped me. I rankled, but held my ground. The three moved quickly and silently through the still darkened streets, blending in so well _I_ could barely see them.

I remember how cold my hands were. My heart was beating so fast it was a wonder no one else could hear it. I held my breath as the scouts reached the first hostage. It was a young girl, barely thirteen, silent and bowed. She didn't make a noise when they cut her down. That should have been our second clue.

The girl hit the ground with a thud and didn't move. Light flooded the street from every building lining it, lighting up the world like fire, and guards roared from the windows as more flooded from the doors.

The girl didn't move still, and it was then that I saw her throat, soaked with blood under her dead blue eyes. The hostages were already dead, and we had come for nothing.

I screamed out loud as the scouts were killed, faster than it took for me to blink, and Devin was holding me back with both hands as I struggled to rise. Time ceased, and then the Scorned attacked. With no where else to go, my friends and, yes, family, ran into battle for their very lives. Screams, both human and Pokemon, screeched through the air as guards and rebels clashed. Still Devin held me back, yelling something in my ear that I couldn't hear. From the light of the burning buildings, I saw a figure on a shining Rapidash lift his sword, calling his troops to battle.

I saw _him_, and nothing in this world could describe my hatred.

Three Pokemon burst from their Poke balls and I broke free of Devin's hold. I shrieked and I fought, battling my way through the fray as though possessed by a demon. In a way, I was. Tatsu fainted, but I didn't pause, releasing two more Pokemon to compensate. Time had no meaning as I fought, and the battles around me dimmed.

The King saw me coming, a lone figure hidden in darkness. He gestured, and three guards flanked him, protecting the liar and the murderous scum from my wrath. I destroyed them in battle before their Pokemon hit the ground, continuing on towards the monarch of the land.

The tide of battle changed around me, as my Pokemon, my darling beauties, broke through the war. It was then that I noticed, however fleetingly, that we were winning. I fought the front and broke their ranks, and the Scorned rallied behind me. To this day, I do not know what possessed me, to let me fight like that. I was a goddess in that heartbreakingly beautiful moment, and none could defeat me.

Nivali fainted, So-Ah right after, and I was left with three. The King retreated, his Rapidash snorting as she pranced back, and more guards flowed in front of him like water. I gritted my teeth and fought on until they fell, losing Walter in the process. I could see the fear in the Kings eyes as I drew nearer, and I lived for it.

A man in armor, different than the others, braced himself in front of the King, and my fury grew as he protected the cause of this death. I shrieked wordlessly as my last two Pokemon fell, and picked up a broken sword from the hard earth. Our swords clashed, the knights and mine, throwing sparks into the darkness. They broke away, and clashed again, steel sliding across steel. I could sense his surprise through his weapon, and I could see it in his eyes as I struck a blow across his helmet, denting the metal it did not cut.

The knight fell, and my path was clear. I swung my sword as the Kings mount reared, and the rising sun hit my eyes, finally illuminating my face for the King to see.

Yes my King, you knew my face in that moment. Layla Crie, the girl who should have been dead. The one who was never afraid of you.

The King escaped but for a slash across his cheekbone because of the suns glare, and he escaped like a coward using a Psychic Pokemon to teleport. I stood there panting as the sun lit up the battlefield. It was then that I noticed everything was quiet. I turned, and stunned eyes greeted me.

Civilians rescued from the buildings stared at me with wonder, and I don't know what they saw. Devin was holding his injured arm, a ring of fallen opponents around him. He said my name, just once, his eyes kind. It spread like wildfire. Their chants brought strength back to my veins as I realized the day was won, one way or another, and I lifted the hilt of my broken sword as the dawn broke behind me.

Ana, I don't know if things can go back now. I have been changed irrevocably, and I feel as though you would not know me anymore. I will take the strength you taught me, and I will never give up on what I have come to believe in. The Scorned won their first battle, and soon...soon Halleden will fall!

~o~

**A/N **I can't believe I split this again. Ugh, this chapter is killing me. But if I didn't, it would have been twenty pages, so you get this half first. Again.

In case you were wondering, my bratty little laptop decided to go comatose for a few months. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as it gave me time to consolidate a few key details in my mind about the future of this story. I apologise for the inconvenience, but I promise it will be worth it.

Thank you reviewers. Holy crap, you guys are awesome. I am not too proud to admit that quite a few of those reviews made me squee like a fan girl and flail around. You are all awesome and perfect and I love you! Haha :)

Chapter 17, which should have been part of 16, and is moving into 18.…done and up! Ha! *feels like a good little writer for actually updating*


	18. Legacies

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own this lovely franchise. The thought continues to depress me.**

~o~

_It couldn't end like this_.

Indigo felt like he was moving in slow motion as he tried to stand. Something ripped from his throat, but he was past hearing, as his world narrowed to one point, one face, one girl.

_Not now_.

The deadly beam of shimmering gold continued on its path, sparking and shimmering like laughter. It was so beautiful, too beautiful to be the cause of such fear.

_Not after everything!_

What was the use of discovering strength if he couldn't even protect those he loved, Indigo thought despairingly. What was the use of returning over her body?

What was the point of everything, if it ended in death?

_Violet!_

He was going to be too late. He saw that, even as his mind screamed against it. The ghost of Daniel Knight haunted him even now. Indigo's senses returned just in time for the world to shatter around him, so loud the thunder paled in comparison.

Cold swept through Indigo's body. His mind shut down. He didn't dare look up. He didn't think he was capable of it. The silence was deafening in that moment, the calm after the storm.

"I'm sorry," a voice said, so small Indigo barely heard it. He knew that voice. Indigo's head snapped up, barely daring to hope.

Sabrina stood in front of them, a psychic shield shattering slowly in front of her. Bruises blotted out her skin, where it was not cut. Her outstretched arm fell to her side, and Indigo saw with a sickened jolt that it was charred black, smoking slightly in the hazy air.

"Sabrina!" Violet gasped, half falling to kneel beside her when the priestess fell. "But I thought….why did you…"

"I'm so sorry!" Sabrina cried again, and tears fell from her eyes. She looked like a child, drained of pride and without her mask. "Your friend, he never should have had to die!"

Violet reeled back as though she had been slapped, her amethyst eyes going impossibly wide. Indigo stared, his mind going similarly blank. Sabrina sobbed, and it was as though there had been a child inside her all the time, under her icy cold control.

Violet grabbed the priestesses unburnt hand in hers after a single heartbeat, her face so full of worry it shamed Indigo with its purity.

"It's okay," she gasped, her words coming out fast. "I never…you were just trying to do the right thing. I know…I know that you were just trying to protect people. Sometimes, we have choices placed on our heads, and it's just not fair, but we have to do what we think is best, no matter what! I know he wouldn't have blamed you either, because that's just who he is!"

Sabrina's ice blue eyes were wide as she stared up at Violet, some indescribable emotion flitting across her face for a single moment. It was as if a great weight was lifted from her chest. "…thank you," the woman who murdered her friend sighed softly. "_Thank you_."

The psychic masters eyes closed as she sighed, sending her unconscious at last. Indigo was silent, stunned beyond words.

So easily Violet had said the words. So easily, and she forgave the murder of her friend. How could she be so good? How could she understand what was in the hearts of everyone she met, and know exactly what to say to console them?

If it had been him, he really might have hurt her for daring to _apologize_ after killing someone he loved.

So different from the person he was inside. She was so very, very different.

"You really are an idiot," Indigo growled, turning away so she wouldn't see his face. "A lucky idiot."

"No ones luck lasts forever," Violet said, but her eyes were full of breathless laughter. She grinned, and Indigo's relief felt like it would drown him. She squeaked with surprise when he threw his arms around her, crushing her to him as if to reassure himself that she was really there.

"I was scared," Violet admitted, hugging him back hard. "I was so scared, but I knew that if I moved…"

"Don't you _ever_ do that again," Indigo growled harshly, glad she couldn't see his face. "Not if the world depends on it. I couldn't bear to lose you, not now, not ever."

"I don't want to die," Violet whispered, as if it was something shameful. "I'm terrified of it, Indigo. Losing this, losing you…but the thought of losing you scared me worse than death. That's why I couldn't run. That's why I knew what I had to do."

Indigo and Violet released each other at the same time. Their eyes met, and both couldn't help but grin. Violet laughed as she wiped her tears away with her sleeve. Nothing else mattered, because they could still look at the other and smile, knowing that many happy days were left.

Brilliant, rushing power spread through his arms like fire that did not burn, and Indigo's eyes went wide as every nerve ending in his new body sang . The smell of citrus blossoms filled the air, sweet and heady, and with a jolt he felt a warm breeze caress his face, full of tantalizing promises of summer.

"Indigo, you…"

He didn't have to look to know that his body glowed gold. He didn't have to look away from her face to know that bubbles of light and color were melting from the ground to float around them both. He didn't have to smell the air to know that he had broken the curse at last.

Indigo was returning.

It was time to say goodbye.

He had always know that this day would come, and yet…

"Violet, I…" Indigo struggled, unable to find words. He was returning home. It was a happy ending to the story, the finale he had always dreamed of.

_So why did his heart feel like it was breaking in two?_

If Indigo had not been preoccupied, he might have seen Karo before he put his hands around her neck from behind, a manic smile on his face.

"Got you," he whispered into her ear, and then Violet was screaming, so loud it shattered the air, on and on as the Gengar spilled from Karo's mind to hers.

"No!" Indigo shouted, his shock so strong the light vanished as though it had never been. Her screams tore from her throat, as though she had been set on fire, the sound resonating in his mind so strongly he knew he would never be free of it again.

Violet's head fell forward limply as Karo collapsed behind her. Indigo froze as he waited for her to speak, not knowing if the ghost had beaten her or not.

Her head came up, and her face was ashen white under hollow violet eyes. "No," she whispered in agony. "Amber. _No_. NO!" Violet collapsed as though her strings had been cut and Karo rose again, his eyes wild and crazed.

"_She can't be dead!" _he howled, his hair whipping around his face. "I won't let her! She CAN'T!" He lunged for Violets throat, his hands coated in black demonic energy.

_She's going to die warrior._

Indigo could only watch as Karo's death touch enveloped her throat with darkness as he strangled her, and as her beautiful eyes went wide.

He could only watch as those eyes closed with a sigh, and Violet was killed in cold blood.

~o~

November 1 The war has exploded out across the land now, after the massacre at Karraket. People are beginning to talk, to rebel and to fight against the monarchy. My name has become something of a symbol to the people. Layla Crie, the miracle worker. It's a complete joke, but I admit, there are many advantages to being infamous. I get to rub it into that snob Kaya's face for one thing.

I haven't been able to write in so very long. There's just been so much to _do_, and I admit, I've thrown myself into my work more than anyone. It's my way of coping, to prevent myself from thinking of…

Oh, I can't stand this! Ana, when I imagine your face after that leech told you about the massacre…how did he explain it to you, in a way that you wouldn't know of his evils? I can't imagine what lies he must have spun. You must feel so betrayed. I wish I could just talk to you, and explain, but that's not possible right now. If only you knew what the Scorned really fought for, I just know you would understand!

This is exactly why I've avoided this book for so long. My only job, my one focus, has to be the Scorned. Letting my emotions out like this…I feel like it will shatter me into a thousand pieces.

Enough. I have a mission tomorrow, and I need my sleep.

Ana's baby is due in the spring. I will work hard to ensure that her child grows up in a happy world.

OoO

November 10 I'm falling to pieces. I don't even know what to think anymore. Oh, but this is silly! Nothing life threatening has happened, no great change in the war, and no one I love is in danger!

What has changed is me. Purely, selfishly, me. It doesn't seem to be fair, for everything to be so happy when the world is burning around me, but-

I may as well simply tell the story. Maybe the act of putting pen to paper will help consolidate things in my own mind. Maybe my heart will remember what _sense_ feels like if I lay it all out.

Joyce was in danger.

Kaya's only child is a beautiful, sunny girl who inherited absolutely nothing from her mother. She and the sibling heirs are the only children in camp. They play together often, Joyce and the solemn eyed Tero, watched over by Kylara. The current base of the Scorned is East of the castle, in the region near home. Forests, rivers, and lakes dot the landscape in this, the most beautiful place on earth. The children were playing on the bank of the lake, pretending to be Pokemon.

"Rawr! I'm gonna eat you!" Joyce shrieked, chasing Tero around the shore. He was laughing so hard he could hardly breath, the adorable thing. Suddenly, he turned, fighting back a grin.

"I am an Entei!" he declared, curling his fingers into claws. "I'll roast you until you're dead!"

"Ahhh!" Joyce shrieked with delight, backing up in mock horror. And then, that adorable little girl tripped, and fell into the lake.

That would have been fine and good, if it weren't for the Gyarados.

It rose out of the water, thirty feet long and hissing menacingly. I looked up and saw the shadow fall over her. I didn't have my Pokemon. I didn't have any weapons. I didn't even think, I just ran. I got to her just as it was about to strike, scooping her up midst ride as I ran headlong through the shallow water. I fell once, dousing us both as the Gyarados roared behind us, but struggled to my feet, coughing up water. I scrambled to shore and put Joyce on it, where Kylara grabbed her from me.

The Gyarados bit my left leg from behind, just above my ankle. I screamed as it pulled me under, and the last thing I saw were the stricken black eyes of Tero, still on the shore.

I couldn't breath. That was the one thought that went through my head as I struggled in the black water, going deeper and deeper. My throat ached and itched as I fought back more coughs, knowing that it would kill me for sure. The water was so very cold. It penetrated down to my bones, like I was dying already.

I held my breath for an eternity. My thoughts came slower and slower, until I couldn't quite remember why I was holding it in the first place. Pain lanced through my arm as the Gyarados bit down, so hard I thought it was going to be bitten off. So great was my shock at this pain, I opened my mouth to scream and lost the rest of my air.

I realized my mistake, but it was already far too late. I inhaled, unable to resist any longer, and cold, burning water ripped down my throat in a torrent. I thought that I was going to die for sure as the Gyarados hissed, and my world went dark.

The next thing I felt was pain. My lungs and throat were on fire. I felt like my mind was in a fog.

"Breathe, darling!" he begged, before pressing his lips to mine, and I knew his voice. That recognition broke through the fog for a single instant and I gasped, coughing up what felt like the entire lake. I fought for air in between throwing up water, until my head cleared enough for me to be able to understand what was happening around me.

"-s okay, you're going to be just fine now darling," Devin said with burning relief, hugging me close. He was so warm. I couldn't feel my fingers in my left hand. He let me go just for an instant, and a blanket was wrapped around my shoulders. Everyone was there, I realized.

Devin stood. "Well gang," he addressed the crowd, looking at the floating form in the lake. "Who wants fish for dinner?" This got a laugh and a murmur of assent. I stared, wondering how on earth the Gyarados had gotten those wounds, and why was it lying in the water like that? Then my mind shut down again, and I slipped gratefully into unconsciousness.

When I woke for the second time, I was warm.

I sat up, wincing as the pain in my arm and leg registered. My wounds had been bandaged, and I was in, surprisingly enough, a house. It was nighttime outside. A fire burned hot in the corner, and I was wrapped in thick, fluffy blankets. He was sitting in the corner, silently, just watching me. I jumped when I noticed him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, his eyes burning into mine intently.

"Fine," I answered, wondering why he was acting so strange. "Um…where are we?"

He ignored me. His eyes never left mine, and after a moment he stood, pacing. My brow furrowed, and I was about to ask him what was wrong when he spoke again.

"I thought that I had time," he said, staring into the fire. "So much time. I thought that I could live for myself after the war was over, that I could live a normal, average life. I thought that…but I was certainly proved wrong today. No one knows how much time they have, do they, Layla?"

I gaped. That was the first time he had ever spoken my name. Electricity sparked up my spine at that one word. But he wasn't done yet.

"And you! Such a stupid, idiotic move like that! What on earth were you thinking?"

I found my voice then, cracked though it was, and I glared at him. "I didn't do anything wrong!" I protested. "If I hadn't been there…you arrogant, short sighted man, are you saying I should have _left_ her?"

"That…that's not what I'm saying," Devin sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You're a natural masochist. You just don't care about yourself when someone else is in danger."

"Oh really?" I growled, stung by his words. "Then what are you saying?"

He was silent, staring at me in that disconcerting way again for a long time. "You really are an idiot, you know," he said at last, his eyes going soft. "A brave, warm, kind, idiot. I've never met anyone like you, and I intended to do something about it when all this was over. But now, I'm afraid we won't have that long. Anything could happen. It's better, I think, to enjoy every moment we have. Don't you?"

"Devin," I said slowly, my mind going blank. "What _are_ you saying, then?"

"Layla Crie," he said, and my heart sped up as he said my name. "I'm asking you to marry me."

"Wha-" I gaped. "B-but I…we…I just met you!"

"Months ago," Devin corrected. "And in a war, months are very long indeed."

"I'm too young!" I protested again, my brain shutting down.

"You're the same age as Kaya," Devin pointed out. "She was married five years ago. _She _might have been too young, but not you."

"I-I can't because…because I've never even kissed you!" I threw out desperately, and triumphantly. He was silent for a long moment as he considered this.

"I did give you mouth to mouth. Doesn't that count?"

"It does not," I said smugly. "So there."

He leaned forward then, and pressed his lips to mine. I pulled back instinctively, but his hand was in my hair, pulling me forward, and his lips were so warm and insistent, and _oh_ I felt like I was on fire, every nerve of me. I had never, never been kissed like that before, and before I knew it my hands were around his neck, and my eyes were slipping closed as I sighed.

It felt like the longest time, but it couldn't have been more than a few seconds. He pulled back ever so slightly, his breath warm on my face. "Any problems now?" he said. I shook my head numbly, and he kissed me again, exultant, and I forgot the world.

~o~

_Floating in stillness_.

The world was white and clear, in all directions. She was floating in air like water, moving slowly even though she felt as though everything were still. There was nothing. No pain, no cold, no bad memories. Just warm, and bliss.

Everything was perfect.

"_Where am I?"_ Violet wondered, without opening her eyes. Sensation skittered across her arms, tingly and warm. Her forehead creased. Something was wrong. "_Indigo?"_

Who was that? She tried to remember, but it was so warm and _why_ should she work for the answer when everything was so perfect? Her questions drifted away on her sigh, like a lazy puff of cotton on wind. She lay, suspended on clouds, and simply felt, basking in this world without pain.

"_Violet_."

That voice. Had she heard it before? Violet's forehead creased again as she listened, trying to hear that single whispered word one more time.

"_Violet."_

A spark of memory. She had heard that voice before, so very long ago. How long had it been? Did it matter? She didn't think so. It had a name, that voice. What was it?

"Come on, Vie. Open your eyes."

_Vie_. Such a strange name. Such a familiar one. Burning curiosity filled her. Whose voice would say such things? The lethargy stirred. She felt as though she were swimming up through deep water as her mind lifted, dawning towards consciousness.

The light hitting her face was different. Yellow and warm, it reminded her strongly of summer days, and something wistful long forgotten. Sensations and feeling returned to her body. Her body was curled up on the floor as if in sleep.

With a rush, Violet remembered everything. _Roy, Karo, Lance, everyone!_ Shock lanced through her thoughts.

Indigo.

Violet sat up quickly, horror filling her mind. _No_. She couldn't have left him alone! Not after everything! What had happened to her? Where _was_ she, anyways?

Warm wooden floors, smoothed by time. Sunlight filtered in through wide windows, casting patterns in the lazy swirls of dust hanging in the air. A room Violet had been in many times.

"Violet."

_It couldn't be_.

Slowly, Violet turned around, her features frozen into a wide eyed mask as she recognized that voice, the one voice she had longed to hear for so long.

His face crumpled into an easy grin when she looked to him, his golden eyes so very soft. "Good to see you again, Vie," said Daniel Knight. "It's been a while."

Time slowed and stopped as she stared, unable to believe. The moment broke and she was running the last few steps between them, tears already forming in her eyes. She hit him hard, her arms holding him tight, just to make sure that he was really there, really warm, and _alive_.

"Please don't be a dream!" she begged, crushing her face to his chest, her voice shaking with emotion. "Oh Danny, please don't be a dream!"

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her as though he never wanted to let go. "Oh Vie," he said with a sigh, one hand in her hair. "I've missed you so much. Look how much you've grown! You're almost as tall as Kylie now!"

Violet hiccupped through her tears. She had never cried this much in front of anyone before, but at that moment it didn't matter. "I love you, Danny," she said through her sobs. "I love you so much."

"I never stopped looking after you. Not even once," Daniel said simply, holding her a bit closer. Violet cried harder.

"Hey now, crying is for kids!" Daniel chastised her, a grin in his voice, not quite hiding the emotion behind it. "You're stronger than this, Vie. There there, everything is alright, now."

He held her until her tears dried, an endless amount of time later. It was just the two of them in the entire world. Nothing else mattered. He stroked her hair periodically, kneeling there on the polished wood of the training center of Saffron.

"I'm glad," he said after a time. "You've found yourself some good friends, Violet. You've gotten so much stronger since I last saw you."

"I'm not as strong as you are," Violet said, her voice muffled by his shirt. Daniel shook with laughter. He pressed a kiss to her hair, hugging her tighter for a moment.

"You're wrong, Vie," he said simply. "You don't need me anymore. You've learned to fly, all by yourself. I'm so very proud of you, and what you've made for yourself."

"I'll always need you!" Violet protested, pouting. "You're my Danny. You're the reason I learned to fly. If it weren't for you, I'd be…"

"Oh Violet. You'd be just fine. You're a kick butt trainer after all."

Violet drew back, looking up into his heartbreakingly familiar face, unchanged by time. "Am I really dead?" she whispered, her brow creasing. "Will Indigo be okay?"

He smiled, and she drank it in, rememorizing the lines of his face, the color of his eyes, the glint of sunlight on his deep brown hair. "Your work isn't done just yet, little Vie. There are still people who need you back there. I love you too, you know. You always were the most special person to me, my own little Vie."

"You didn't need me," Violet contradicted. "I was just a girl without friends. You felt bad for me."

Daniel rolled his eyes at her. "You have a sense of humor, I see," he said dryly. "I always, always needed you. Silly girl."

"Don't go," Violet begged, feeling as though her heart would break. "Not again. Please, not again."

"You're determined to make this as cheesy as possible, aren't you," Daniel said, laughing at her. He drew her forward, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Violets mind started to fade to white once more, as though she were falling asleep.

"I'll always be here, Violet. Go and finish what you started. I promise I'll always be by your side."

The last words she heard before she fell asleep burned in her mind, and she knew they would be with her forever. She clung to them all the same, breathing out a happy sigh.

"_Be safe, Vie."_

~o~

Life ceased, in that moment, to have meaning. His world shattered around him like glass, memories and past smiles breaking into nothingness, each shard embedding itself in his heart and soul with the pain of a thousand knives.

_We're friends, aren't we Indigo?_

_Look! That, right there is a donut. Eat it, eat it!_

_Indigo, you loved her, right? The Princess?_

_We're in this together, Indigo. No matter what._

His paw struck out without him needing to give it a conscious thought, slamming with all the iron strength in his body into the monster who held her throat. Karo's nose shattered in a gush of blood, his maddened eyes widening with surprise an instant before Indigo hit him again, with a dark pulse coated paw. He whipped around, hitting the shocked boy with a Force Palm that broke at least three of his ribs with a single blow.

Violet. The second Karo was away from her, Indigo kneeled at her side, shaking her shoulders. Karo gasped, lying on his side as he whimpered with utterly shocked pain.

"Violet," Indigo gasped, his voice raw with agonized fear. She did not respond. Her body felt limp in his arms. Cold gripped his heart.

Denial. "You aren't dead!" Indigo shouted, shaking her body harder. "You can't be! Wake _up_, Violet!" Her head lolled to one side, her beautiful face ashen white. Lance stood silently off to one side, watching with eyes filled with grief. Abruptly Indigo was furious with this man who called himself Champion. White hot anger filled him. What right did he have to look so sad? Violet _wasn't dead!_

"I am so sorry," Lance said at last. Indigo snapped, fury filling his entire being. He rose to his feet, the gold light from before surrounding him in a nimbus of light.

"Violet is not dead!" Indigo snarled in a voice that was decidedly inhuman. "Stop _standing_ there! We can still save her!"

Lance looked at him silently, sympathy in his eyes. Indigo's eyes opened wider, and it seemed as though time stopped.

Violet lay on the ground, unmoving and as limp as a doll. Her hair had fallen over her face in a dark wave, obscuring her features.

"What kind of a Champion can't even protect one girl?" Indigo shouted, his throat raw. Fury gripped him and white hot words ripped out of his throat. "What kind of hero lets his companions die? _Why didn't you stop him sooner?_"

From the pain that flashed through Lance's eyes, you would have thought that he had just been stabbed. Indigo found that he did not care, not in the slightest. Fueled by blinding anger the likes of which he hadn't felt since he was human, he lashed out at the Champion, inflicting wounds as though it could take away his own pain. "You're supposed to be the strongest! Why couldn't you prevent the fall of Lavender town? Why didn't you save all those people? They died in agony, and all because their Champion _wasn't there to save them_!"

Each word was like a blow to the proud Champion, but he stood tall, despite the agony in his eyes. He accepted the burden, and the blame, even the pain, as the price of his failure. Indigo saw this, and his hatred for the man grew. How could he live with that responsibility and stay sane? How could he stay standing when Violet was…

Something broke in that moment, releasing all the raw pain and hatred he had carried since the day he had committed his first crime. He saw with burning clarity all the wrongs he had ever done, all the pain he had caused, everything, and it scorched through his heart like a flood of self loathing and responsibility. Indigo crumpled to his knees over her body, a single paw on the ground the only thing keeping him upright. He would have hated the show of weakness had there been room for anything in his heart other than crushing grief.

"She was a brave girl, and an irreplaceable friend," Lance said softly, his own voice rough. "I wish I had known her better. Fuchsia town stands today because of the sacrifice she made. Kanto will never forget what she gave…and what she fought for. Violet Hikanashi will never be forgotten. I swear it as Champion."

Indigo was incapable of speech as her epitaph was spoken. Ragged gasps tore through his lungs, and it felt like his soul were breaking into two. Tears flowed down his face, tears he had not known Lucario were capable of shedding. The past was nothing more than a dim memory in that moment, as unimportant as the stars twinkling in the sky above.

The world didn't matter, as what was left of Indigo's heart died with his first true friend since Halleden.

~o~

It hurt.

Violet gasped with the sudden return of pain. Her body was on fire, with a thousand, insistent pains, each screaming for immediate attention.

It _hurt_.

Indigo, she thought, reminded suddenly why she was there. _Where was Indigo_?

She had to open her eyes. It was much harder than last time to drag herself from the deeps. Her eyes felt as though they were covered with lead weights, pounding in time with her head, and all the minor wounds on her body. Scorching, shattering pain. Why did being alive _hurt_ so much?

Her eyes opened slowly, the world careening in and out of focus. She whimpered softly, so quiet she could barely hear it herself.

Indigo.

Groaning internally, Violet tried to move her head. It felt as though someone had used it as a baseball bat. She managed to shift it a bare two inches to the right, and she could see his face.

Something was wrong. Indigo shouldn't be crying. It wasn't right. "Hey," she croaked…or tried to. Nothing made it past her parched lips, barely cracked open. He didn't see. His eyes were closed shut as he shook.

Indigo should _never_ have to hurt like that. Violets quiet anger finally gave her a vestige of strength. She reached up slowly with one pale hand, trying her hardest to ignore the weakness in her body.

Her hand caressed the fur on the side of his face. His crimson eyes snapped open, so wide and disbelieving it nearly made her laugh.

"Violet" he gasped, his voice raw. "_Violet!_"

"Ow," Violet complained hoarsely as he crushed her in a hug that made her bones feel like they would break, but she was smiling faintly. "Hi. What did I miss?"

The fires of the battleground were burning down, the embers glowing a sulky crimson. Lance stood nearby, she realized, and the look on his face was such stunned disbelief it surprised _her_ to see. How long had she been out?

Indigo released her. He glared at her fiercely, his red eyes furious. "Never do that again!" he commanded, his eyes narrowing to slits. "Never, never. I forbid you to."

"Duly noted," Violet croaked dryly, grinning weakly. Her eyes widened. "_Karo_. What…"

Indigo's eyes flashed with distaste. He nodded to the side. Violet struggled to lift her head.

She couldn't even comprehend. What had _happened_ to him? His pale face was a bloody mess, like he'd been hit by a wrecking ball. The once proud trainer was curled up on the ground, whimpering as though in terrible pain, and were those _bones_ sticking out his ribcage?

"The Gengar?" Violet whispered, her mind refusing to think about what must have happened to him.

"Gone," Lance said finally from the sides. "The Gengar disappeared after you. It was defeated by grief. After everything we tried to stop it, simple grief did the trick."

"I saw," Violet admitted quietly. "When it came into my head, I saw what it wanted. It loved her. When she left, it waited, for years and years, until it couldn't stand it anymore. Such a sad story."

"Forget about that," Indigo growled from the side, still watching her cautiously, as though watching for any signs that she was going to die again. "We fought, and we won. The ghosts are disappearing, fading back to Lavender town. Kanto is saved."

"But I feel bad for it!" Violet said, her remembered pain coming back to her. Tears glistened in her eyes, not quite falling. "All it wanted was to see her again. It was so lonely. So very empty, and alone."

"I couldn't care less," Indigo muttered under his breath. "But of course _you_ would think that. Silly girl."

Lance turned away slightly, the wind blowing through his hair. "Enough," he said simply. "The day is won, and without a single human casualty. The Pokemon who perished will be mourned, the Gengar included." He turned back to them, a slight smile on his face.

"You did well."

Violet grinned at the Champion. Indigo rolled his eyes, and kept a firm grip on her hand, as though to remind himself she was there. Roy shouted with victory from the skies, and the battle was over at last.

Avery knelt on the ground, away from the others, finally awake again. Her hands covered her face, over wide crimson eyes. If any had been looking, they would have seen how they flickered with black periodically as she shook. The cracked Soothe Bell chimed discordantly from around her neck, a sound like lonely souls and broken promises.

~o~

The Ninetales cracked open one blood red eye, awakened from her slumber rudely. _Oh?_ Fragments of visions swirled around her head, sights and images from another's past, far in the future, each image like a moving picture, ragged and torn around the edges.

The ancient Pokemon closed her eye, her disembodied laugh echoing around the black walls of her Poke ball.

Strength you have acquired, Nightwalker, but not caring. Halfway there. At this rate, she thought with amusement, you might actually do it.

~o~

**A/N **Ah, so short! Look, look! XD This is the shortest chapter I've written in a really long time. I think…it may be my favorite so far. Very easy to write for one thing, and I got to write one of my favorite characters again!

It was also, and you may quote me on this, cheesy beyond belief. Geez. So very cheesy. Don't get me wrong, cheese is wonderful in controlled quantities. I don't think I'll be able to write it again for a while though. So enjoy this to your hearts content, and don't complain about the action and drama to come in this adventure. :)

Oh, and before I forget, OHMIGOSH YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME. Seriously, I got like ten reviews within a day of the last chapter, and I was squeeing so much my family thought I'd gone mad. So yeah, you guys are amazing and all of you are sexy. XD

And as for all of you spoiler monkeys who have hated Layla at first and then loved her later…which seems to be a lot of you…I can neither confirm or deny your suspicions, no matter how true/false they be. Anyways.

Thank you all, especially those of you who have been putting up with this silly story for so long. This was supposed to be short, by the way. Ha. Yeah, that worked.

~K-tori out


	19. Frozen in Time

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. As a warning, this started out fluffily. Then I started writing again while in a horrible mood, after a bad day. Gore and violence are present. You have been warned.**

**ADDITIONAL WARNING: This chapter is all. Violet. No Indigo, no past story, at all. The next chapter will be nothing but the past story, and it will finally end, caught up to the first chapter.**

~o~

It was a beautiful, sunny day on Cinnabar Island when Violet escaped her hospital rooms third story window.

"Freedom!" the dark haired teen sang as she shimmied down her tied together sheets. Pidgey squawked angrily as she climbed past their ledge on the second floor. "Hi!" Violet said cheerily as she climbed past. The birds looked at each other questioningly before deciding she was just crazy.

In fact, it was the first time Violet had been outside in a month. And if she had to stay another day she _was_ going to go crazy.

Her bare feet hit the cool grass behind the Pokemon Center. "Stop right there!" Officer Jenny yelled, breaking into a run from her position guarding the perimeter.

"Oh crap," Violet whimpered. She turned her feet the opposite direction and ran as fast as her legs would carry her.

"Code 918A," the Jenny barked into her radio as she chased the escapee. "We have a code 918A!"

"That's the code for escaped _mental_ patients!" Violet shouted indignantly, panting as she ran. Her bland floral print hospital gown flapped regally behind her. She had snitched a pair of pants for the escape. She hadn't thought it was possible to _miss_ having pants, but hospital protocol had proved her wrong. "I am not _crazy!_"

Violet swerved, rounding the corner of the building. Her hands hit the doorknob of the service entrance. "Come on, come on!"

The doorknob rattled, and twisted. "Yes!" Violet crowed, ducking into the door. It shut just as Officer Jenny pounded past.

Violet put her hands on her knees, catching her breath. "Ha! Take that, law enforcement!" she said triumphantly. She raised her head, a grin on her face.

Five Officer Jenny's sat around a table in the middle of the room, staring at her. One was paused with a donut halfway to her mouth. Everything was silent for a heartbeat.

"I didn't mean it!" Violet wailed as she ran down the hallway, five Officer Jenny's sprinting after her. "I like cops, I swear!"

"Halt, and return to your room!" Jenny shouted, pulling out a Poke ball. The other four mirrored her action.

"Never!" Violet shouted defiantly. "I'm going back to the real world where _people are allowed to wear pants!_"

Alarms started to blare from speakers on the wall, complete with flashing red lights as one Jenny stopped to push a button on the wall. "_We have a code 918A!"_ the mechanical voice droned from the speakers. _"All personnel, use extreme caution!"_

Violet groaned as she rounded the corner leading to the residential wing, her legs burning up a storm. Someone grabbed her arm, pushing her sharply into the janitors closet.

"She went that way, Officers!" Roy Stryker said, pointing down the hall. "I could see the crazy in her eyes!"

"Thanks," a Jenny shouted, and the assembled officers doubled their speed. They split up into two groups at the junction at the end of the hall after a brief discussion, and then they were gone.

Violet glared at her rival and sometimes friend from her spot on the floor, surrounded by cleaning supplies. Roy held out a hand, grinning widely. She took it, grumbling as he pulled her to her feet. She dusted off her clothes.

"Did you steal _pants_?" Roy asked, still grinning.

Violet looked at her blue hospital scrubs. "I freed them for the sake of justice," she defended herself. "I have to get out of this place! If I have to eat on more cup of Jell-O I'm really _going_ to snap!" The dark haired girl paused as something sank in. "Wait. Why aren't _you_ in a hospital room?"

"I was released the second day," Roy admitted, his eyes dancing. "I told them your concussion might be worse than you were letting on, and to hold you for observation…"

"Why are we friends again?!" Violet wailed, pounding the laughing boys chest with her fists. "I've been here for a _month! _A month!"

"As if you didn't need it," Roy laughed, backing up in mock surrender. "You got hit worse than any of us in that battle. I was just looking out for my cute little rival after all!"

"I am not little!" Violet protested, glaring at him as if she could burn him to cinders with a look. "And I'm getting out of here with or without your help, you jerk!"

Roy pushed her to the wall, protecting her from view with his form as two nurses ran past the hallway. "I never said I wouldn't help," he said quietly, his voice hushed. He pulled away, his eyes on hers. "What do you need?"

"My Poke balls are in the head nurses office," Violet said, filling him in as they peered around the corner of the hall to see the room in question. "So is my bag. If we can get them, I'm home free!"

"The door is locked," Roy observed. "And Nurse Joy will be on high alert. It won't be easy."

"Oh yeah?" Violet grinned. She pulled a hidden bobby pin out of her hair.

Ten minutes later, Violet was cursing movie clichés while Roy stood watch, trying not to laugh at her. "This works on TV!" Violet defended herself, wiggling the bobby pin in the lock. It stayed closed stubbornly. "Oh Arceus, why do you hate me?" Violet groaned, hitting her head on the door.

"Vie, we've got company!" Roy warned, putting his hand to his belt. Violet looked up, tensing as she prepared to run for the hills.

"Piper, you are so slow!" Allison complained as the two walked around the corner.

"S-sorry!" Piper cringed. "But isn't this highly illegal?"

"Shut up! Do you want to help Vie or no-" Allison blinked. "Violet! Finally! Where _were _you?"

"Climbing out a window. And running from the law," Violet explained, wincing. "It's been a long day."

She stopped, looking at her friend full on for the first time. And, more importantly, the sexy nurses dress Allison had on, complete with a few too many undone buttons and a skirt that barely reached mid-thigh. "Uh, Allison? Why…"

"Fufufu," Allison chuckled, light glinting off her glasses. "Do you like it? I call it my ultra sexy springing Violet from prison uniform! I got past two guards, an intern, and two nurses assistants with this baby. I also got a free lunch," she added on as an afterthought, thinking back.

"A-and you came to get me out of here in that?" Violet cringed. Roy muffled suspiciously laugh-like coughs behind his hand, turning away as he doubled over.

"Heck yes I did!" Allison grinned, her eyes dancing. "I'm a nurse who needs you for 'testing'. And Piper is my lowly assistant! Brilliant, isn't it?"

"Uh…"

"Violet! Tell her this is illegal!" Piper pled, cringing as Allison glared at him. "O-or not…"

"Indigo and the others are in this room," Violet explained with a sigh, giving up on the idea of arguing. "I haven't seen them since visiting hours a few days ago. But we don't have a key, and-"

"No problem," Allison broke in, her grin turning feral. "That last intern had a key ring. I'll be right back. Come on, Piper!"

"So illegal," Piper moaned as the spiky blonde dragged him away. "Why, _why_ did I go along with this?"

"Shut up, Piper!"

"Do you think she can do it?" Roy asked, raising an eyebrow.

Violet thought of what Allison would do to anyone who got in her way. Especially in a nurses uniform. "Oh yes. She'll do it."

"Why don't you ever wear things like that?" Roy mused, his tone thoughtful.

"Because I'm not insane!" Violet defended herself indignantly, fighting down a blush at the very thought. "That's why!"

"You aren't especially feminine," Roy sighed. "In fact, _I'd_ probably be able to pull that off better than you. But then, I look good in anything."

Roy. In a nurses uniform. A little, white nurses uniform.

"Ah, my head!" Violet wailed, cringing back as she tried to burn the thought from her mind with fire. "I can never un-_see_ that! I'm going to need _therapy_, you jerk!"

Roy rolled his eyes at her as she cringed into the floor, her hands over her eyes. "You're just jealous, Bimbi."

"Say what you want, just gouge my eyes out right now!"

"I'm back!" Allison sang, skipping back around the corner, twirling a key ring around her fingers. "Lets do this!"

"Fast work, pineapple head," Roy grinned, turning away from the moaning Violet.

"He never stood a chance," Allison smirked. "Now lets-" she broke off, staring down the hall with her mouth agape.

Nurse Joy narrowed her eyes at the four of them, her hands on her hips. "And what do you think you're doing?" she demanded, her glare so cold it could have frozen ice.

Violet gulped, her mind freezing up. "I…I was just taking a walk?"

"Violet's getting out of here!" Allison declared over Violet, mirroring Nurse Joy's pose, her hands on her hips defiantly. "She's been here for ages! And she's totally fine!"

"That's right," Roy affirmed, standing in front of Violet. Piper squeaked in a way that could have been taken as an agreement.

"Is that so?" Cinnabar's Nurse Joy said dangerously. "Miss Hikanashi received countless minor wounds, a bad concussion, _and_ on closer inspection, she had been hit with a technique which simultaneously attacked, and nearly killed, every cell in her body. We have no idea how she even survived that attack. She isn't going anywhere until we're sure she's alright!"

"But that's not fair-!"

"-Violet's coming with us-"

"Y-y-y-yeah!"

"Guys!" Violet complained, glaring at her friends. They fell silent. Violet turned back to the Nurse. "I'm really sorry about all this," she apologized, meeting her eyes. "I never meant to cause so much trouble. I don't know how I survived the Gengar's death touch…I'd tell you if I knew the details, honest, but all I know is that it must have been fate. In the words of a friend, my job here just wasn't done yet. I'm not trying to overrule your authority, or hurt myself, I just think it's time for me to get moving again. I think that's what I need the most right now."

Nurse Joy stared at her levelly while Violet cringed, waiting for a squad of Jenny's to drag her back to her room. The nurse sighed, kneading her temples. "You'd better not make me regret this," she muttered. "Violet Hikanashi, you're free to go. On the condition that you take _no_ unnecessary risks, is that understood?"

Violet's head popped up, her eyes shining. "Really? Ah, I mean thank you!"

"Just return those pants before you go," Nurse Joy sighed. Violet grinned while her friends cheered behind her.

~o~

Indigo was bored. Actually, he was wishing halfheartedly for a super-villain to threaten the country again - anything to escape the boredom - , when he sensed her Aura outside his Master ball. He turned his attention outward, his ears perking up.

He listened hard. She was talking about…Roy being a jerk. And somebody needing to put on real clothes. And something about pants.

He wanted out. He hadn't seen Violet in days after all. Indigo shot a pulse of Aura into the sides of his mechanical prison, knowing it would make the Master ball shake. He grinned when he heard Violet's resulting shriek.

Moments later light flooded his senses, _real_ sunlight. Indigo took an appreciative breath of fresh air before opening his crimson eyes, looking wryly at his trainer.

"Violet." He spoke that single word, and it was as though they had never been apart. She tackled him in a hug, grinning stupidly. When she pulled away, absurdly, there were tears in her eyes.

"I missed you," she breathed. "I missed you so much."

It was hard to keep his cool exterior when she acted like this. He understood. Since they had met, they had been in each others company every day without fail. But since she had been in the hospital, he had seen her rarely, as visitors were deemed too stressful. He had been stuck, worrying himself sick about her condition, and only able to speak to her when the nurses permitted. It had been hard on both of them, being cooped up.

"Is there anything we can do away from here?" Indigo asked, turning to look at the looming hospital. They were just out front. From her attire, he gathered she had been released at last.

She smiled at him. "I have just the thing."

An hour later, the Seafoam Islands loomed from the ocean, a crown of mist veiling the caves.

"Check out that view!" Roy called from the skies, his eyes bright with the joy of flying. His Staraptor pulled its wings in close, corkscrewing through the air wildly as Roy whooped, laughing.

Violet's eyes gleamed as she stared at the nearing islands. She was standing tall just behind her Gyarados's massive head as he snaked through the waves sinuously, the spray misting her skin as the wind whipped her long hair wildly. She threw her arms out like she was flying, too, and laughed.

The shattered peak of the volcano rose behind them, lonely in a vast sky. Cinnabar island, the broken city, fell away behind them, destroyed by the eruption years ago. But hope never really died. The citizens of Cinnabar worked to rebuild, over the bones of the last town. The fire gym had moved, to the nearby islands of ice.

The perfect way to leave the memories of the hospital behind. It wouldn't be long now. Indigo grinned in anticipation.

Soon, they would defeat yet another master!

"Mr. Fin! Full speed ahead!" Violet shouted, fire in her beautiful lilac eyes. Her Gyarados roared, and the were jetting through the waves, a frothy white wake behind them. All thirty four feet of her starter Pokemon stretched out through the ocean, his scales deeper blue than the water itself. Above them, Allison laughed from her Aerodactyl, shouting encouragement as it put on more speed to catch up.

Indigo sat back, closing his eyes as he tilted his head back, the salty wind pounding his face. Even without his Aura vision, he could sense the things around him. Violet was laughing, the sound carried off by the wind, while Roy amused himself by flying circles around them in the sky on his streamlined Staraptor. A school of Carvanah swam in the blue deeps, startled by the current as Gyarados jetted through the water above.

It was effortless, like breathing. Indigo inhaled deeply, letting the air fill his lungs, connecting with the web of Aura surrounding him, his senses lighting up like fire. Oh, but he could see everything!

Mr. Fin banked sharply, turning parallel to the shore so Violet could dive into the water, breaking the surface cleanly. She came up for air a few yards from beach, grinning widely. Indigo rolled his eyes at her enthusiasm and focused strength to his legs. He jumped from Gyarados's back, arcing through the air to land on one of the many stones jutting from the sea. He stood from his crouch, the wind at his back, and leaped from stone to stone until his feet hit the shore. He rose, completely dry, and feeling better than he had in weeks.

"Return Mr. Fin!" Violet called, recalling her partner from the deeper sea. Sand blew wildly as Rocky and Staraptor winged down, landing on the beach near them.

"You ready, rookie?" Roy asked, grinning with anticipation. "This isn't going to be easy."

"Not a problem," Violet retorted, touching the Poke balls at her belt. "I have fate on my side!"

"And more importantly, you've got me!" Allison chimed in, her smile feral. "No way you can lose!"

"You can do it, Violet," Piper affirmed quietly, his blue eyes steady.

"If you win, donuts are on me, Bimbi," Roy promised. Indigo laughed. He could practically _see_ the fire that surrounded her now. Food was an excellent motivator, for her.

A cold breeze blew from the side of the island. The conditions would be harsh, the battle more so. But with the way things were right now, he believed in their victory. Losing was not an option!

~o~

Fire scorched across the blackened ground in a spinning torrent, the tips an angry crimson. Indigo leaped into the air, his Aura vision already activated, his palms glowing as he pushed off the wall, hurtling directly towards Blaine's Magmar. It opened its beak-like mouth, fire tearing from the volcano Pokemon's searing core.

"Fire at the ground!" Violet shouted from the sidelines as the out of fire flamed towards him. "And then a Dark Pulse at the ceiling two yards ahead!"

Indigo released the pent up energy in his palms towards the ground, stopping his motion flat and shooting him just above the powerful Flamethrower. He flipped, a powerful pulse of black energy already surrounding his paws, aiming at the place Violet specified. The Dark Pulse exploded against the rocky ceiling. Stalactites broke from the stone, falling onto the surprised Magmar.

"Magmar, Overheat!" Blaine shouted, his dark glasses glinting. The pile of rock glowed red. Fire roared from the cracks, and the stones broke away, revealing the Magmar, glowing with the golden light of the flames. It cried out, the massive fire attack filling the stadium in an inferno of bone melting heat.

"Aw crap," Violet whimpered. "Indigo, Detect! Do it now!"

He was already moving hastily, slamming his fists together in front of his body just as the flames engulfed his hurriedly formed sphere of protection.

"Now, finish it with Strength!" Blaine ordered, grinning beneath his bushy grey mustache. Just as the fire died away, Magmar broke through the smoke, hands clenched together in a single fist as it came down from the air directly towards the surprised Lucario.

"Indigo, duck and roll!"

He hit the ground on one shoulder, rolling away across the superheated stone. The Magmar hit the rock he had been standing on, cracking a new crater into the floor, before turning back to him, hands glowing white again.

"Indigo, use Force Palm! Don't avoid it!" Violet called. "Be careful not to-"

Indigo struck forwards like a snake with one palm shining, directly towards the Magmar's Strength. Their attacks collided, and bone shattering force shot down his arm all the way to his shoulder, like he had been electrocuted. His bones felt like they would break, but the Magmar flew away with a cry.

It landed hard and didn't move again.

"-break your wrist," Violet finished with a sigh. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, fine, I just need a new _arm_," Indigo growled with irritation, at himself, not her. He tested his limb, wincing slightly. Nothing was broken, at least.

"I should have been faster," Violet apologized, wincing. "But we won! You did great, Indigo!"

"You did alright, for a newbie," Roy congratulated, jumping from his seat on a rock to the field. Allison tackled Violet in a hug, saying something about how great the match was, and could she get Violet's autograph in advance for when she was Champion, and…

"It was a well earned win," Blaine affirmed, walking across the pocked floor, leaning heavily on his cane. He had been injured in the battle a month before, but the stubborn man refused to take a vacation, saying he needed to run his gym. "Rarely do I meet a trainer with a spirit as fiery as yours. You have earned your Volcano badge, Violet Hikanashi."

"Hey, you said that same thing to me!" Roy complained. "And I didn't lose _any_ Pokemon."

Blaine rapped Roy across the head with his cane. "You were just as annoying back then!" the old man berated. "Going on and on about your match with the Champion, and how my fire Pokemon weren't _nearly_ as difficult to beat as Lance's Dragonite. I had half a mind to keep the badge, insolent boy!"

"Oh, yeah," Roy said reminiscently, rubbing the back of his head. "It was _true_ though." Blaine smacked his ankles like a whip, and Roy danced around on one leg, laughing as the gym leader brandished the length of wood dangerously.

"You're decent, Violet, but Roy? He's kind of a genius. Trainers like him come around once in a _lifetime_," Allison stated, making Roy practically grow an inch behind her, nodding sagely.

"Once in a lifetime is once too many," Violet growled, glaring at the smug trainer. "We'd be better off with Joey, and his top percentage Rattata."

"I'll have you know I beat that kid with a Stunfisk," Roy complained, clearly miffed. "And it was _poisoned_."

"Yes, Roy, we know. You're the best, and no one else can compare," Violet said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. She grinned so he knew she was kidding.

"He won't be the best f-forever," Piper threw in softly, looking at his brother. He cringed when everyone looked at him. "I-I just meant that someone else will c-come along, and be stronger, s-someday!"

"Piper," Violet started, but Roy cut her off, lifting his hand.

"No, Vie, he's right. My legend will be overshadowed by another, eventually. No one is strong forever," the handsome trainer said seriously. "It's just a matter of time. As it always has been."

Violet opened her mouth to respond, and shut it again. It always surprised her when his serious side came out. It reminded her how mature he could be, on an off day.

She was about to speak when the torches lining the gym burned down, low and weak.

"What is this?" Blaine thundered, his hand tightening on his cane. Cold wind blasted through the fire gym, decorated with stinging flakes of snow, and the torches guttered out completely, hissing.

The cavern was plunged into darkness.

"Indigo, what-" Violet broke off with a strangled gasp as the temperature plummeted to sub-arctic cold, the air still and frozen around them.

Silence boomed throughout the frozen dark.

"Vi-Violet?" Allison whispered, her voice small. "I think there's something in here with us!"

"Can you see it?" Violet responded quietly, reaching for a Poke ball. Indigo tensed beside her, sending his senses outward. He could sense _nothing_. Not even Violet, though she was standing right next to him.

It was as though something was suppressing his abilities.

"No, but-" Allison broke off, gasping. "But it can see us!"

Spears of blue ice exploded out of the ground with shuddering cracks, glowing ever so faintly. Indigo jumped to the side of a jagged spike that grew out beneath his feet, pulling Violet with him to avoid the same fate. Cold song echoed between the pillars of ice, and Allison screamed.

"Allison!" Roy shouted, reaching for his belt. He drew back as a white ghost appeared in front of his face, her blue and yellow eyes turned up. Purple skin showed beneath a bone-white mask. Her form resembled a kimono, complete with a scarlet obi. Sleeved arms hung from her head beside her jagged mouth.

"_Live forever_," the Froslass breathed, her voice deep and grating. Roy shouted, his back arching, as the frigid breath of the Froslass spread over his entire body, freezing him in place.

"Roy, _no!_" Violet shouted desperately, throwing herself into a run. The beautiful ghost looked at the girl disdainfully, and a tornado of snow flurries erupted around her and Roy, hiding them from view.

When the tornado dissipated, both the Froslass and her prize were gone.

"Roy," Violet whispered disbelievingly. The torches sputtered back to life, bringing warm orange light back to the frigid cavern.

"What was _that_?" Allison choked out, tears half frozen on her blue-tinged skin. She was shivering violently. Piper appeared to have lost the power of speech, staring numbly at the place his brother had been.

"What is going on here!" Blaine roared, rapping his cane against the icy layer on the ground. It splintered under the force. "You!" he shouted, pointing at one of his gym trainers. "Start melting this ice! As for the rest of you, start combing the caves! I want that boy found!"

"Don't bother," a new, tenor voice broke in. "A Froslass never gives up her prey. You will never find him with a normal search."

Lazy, light eyes. White-blonde hair, above a purple scarf adorning his forehead. It was a face that Violet knew.

"Morty," Blaine acknowledged, straightening. "What the blazes are you doing here?"

"To be honest, I'm here for miss Violet," Morty admitted, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "I've been keeping an eye on you for a while now."

"Our tail," Indigo growled, realization hitting him. "That ghost was yours?"

"I'm afraid so," the ghost specialist said, nodding. "I thought the Gengar might come after her. I was keeping an eye on things is all. I stuck around after that battle just to be sure."

Violet shook her head numbly, tearing her eyes away from the place he had been. She turned to join the conversation. "How did you know it wanted me?" Violet asked quietly, looking up at the Johto gym leader.

Morty sighed. "I knew your mother, Violet, and you as a baby. Amber was one of the greatest ghost trainers in history. She was my inspiration, and a good woman. The world feels her loss." He straightened, maximizing a Poke ball in one hand. "You've stumbled into a bad situation. Froslass are dangerous, even deadly. I'm a specialist. I will find Roy Stryker."

"I'm coming with you!" Violet insisted, her eyes flashing. Indigo stood by her side, throwing in his support.

"This is dangerous!" Morty retorted. "And you're just a kid! Sorry, but I can't allow that."

"Roy is my friend," Violet said simply, daring the gym leader to argue. "And I'm not just going to stand here while that Froslass does who knows what to him!"

"Froslass are no joke," Morty said, narrowing his eyes. "You'd be risking death. Is this guy worth that to you?"

"My. Friend," Violet repeated, narrowing her eyes right back at him. "Besides, that guy owes me donuts.

I don't care if it's dangerous. I'll find that thing and beat it, no matter what!"

Laughter echoed throughout the cave, and a spinning whirlwind of snow erupted violently around them as Violets words finished. Allison, Piper, Indigo, Violet, and Morty, stood alone in a transformed world of white, the hurricane of snow encasing them.

"This is bad!" Morty said with shocked almost fear. "That thing is powerful, to be able to do this. We have to get out!"

An image of Roy flickered through the snow, frozen in agony in the same position as before, timeless and eternal in ice.

"Roy!" Violet gasped, reaching for the illusion. Her hand broke the spell, and the image dissipated, breaking into flurries of snow. "Give him back!" she shouted angrily at the sickeningly spinning whirlwind of deadly winter. "Or I will make you!"

"_How? You are nothing more than a girl,"_ the Froslass observed in a detached tone, her image appearing briefly in the wall of white. "_A weak girl, not worth his time. Or mine._ _You are useless_."

"Then why bring us here?" Violet demanded, despite flinching slightly at its words. "Why waste your precious time?"

The cold ghost laughed. "_Time is mine to do with as I please! It belongs to me, and obeys my whim! Why fight my power? Why sentence your 'friend' to a slow, stagnant death in the merciless flow of time, burdened by age and weakness? Let him be mine," _she whispered almost sensually, longingly. "_Forever young, forever talented. Immortalized in winters arms."_

"I can't do that," Violet whispered. "I could never condemn a friend to endless loneliness. Like…like being dead already! What use is life without warmth? How can anyone truly be immortal without growth, and laughter? That isn't living at all!"

"_You don't know what you speak of,_" the Froslass said indifferently. "_But perhaps you are worth keeping after all. Perhaps I will 'kill' you, as that is how you perceive my gift. Shall we play a game?"_

"Don't accept, Violet," Morty warned forebodingly. "That's what she wants."

"_Your choice, mortal_," said the embodiment of frozen death. _"Play my game to win back the boy, betting your very lives. Or you will be freed unharmed, and he is mine forever."_

"Violet," Morty said seriously, meeting her eyes with desperate warning. "Do _not_ accept. This ghost won't hesitate to kill us all. Put us in her power, and there will be no going back. No help, or hope, from the outside."

"I cannot sense anything, Violet," Indigo said softly from beside her, his eyes shut uselessly. "Her presence is hidden. I can hardly even see your Aura. If we do this, we do it blindly."

"Violet, Piper's g-going into shock," Allison whispered brokenly, shivering hard. "Me and my dragons are both useless in cold and ice like this. Worse than that, we'd get ourselves killed."

"But what happens to Roy if we give up?" Violet asked, not looking at Morty. "He would have to stay here. Alone."

"Stubborn girl! You can't be considering this!" Morty accused. "You don't know ghosts like I do, Violet, this is not a game you can win!"

The Froslass was coldly silent, staring at Violet alone.

"I accept," Violet whispered, determination steeling her gaze. "I will play your game. Let my friends go, and I'll do this alone."

The Froslass threw back her head and laughed, delighted. "_Too late!" _she shouted, her voice booming unnaturally loud. _"You already accepted the game, and now all of you must pay the price! You are all mine!"_

"You fool!" Morty gasped. "Violet, do you know what you've done?"

"_Too late, whisperer of the dead!"_ The Froslass crowed with glee. _"You have failed! The game has begun!"_ Her final word echoed through the air like a heartbeat, pounding and insistent. Violet put her hands over her ears, crying out as the pressure invaded her skull, her friends mirroring her action. The tornado of ice broke apart into individual snowflakes, drifting down harmlessly to the ground.

The laughter of the Froslass reverberated through the empty crystal hallways of a frozen paradise. Blue ice coated everything in sight in glittering diamonds, veiled by the frozen fog that hung heavily in the air. Soaring arches and spiraling towers of crystalline perfection twisted cruelly towards the arched ceiling of the caves. Bitter cold seeped into Violet's bones inexorably, like a disease.

"Where are we?" Allison whispered, the first to break the silence. "I don't recognize this place."

"We are deep within the Seafoam Islands," Morty said grimly. "Deeper than any path leads. This cavern must have been here for a thousand years, never thawing. The realm of this Froslass."

"I'm so cold," the blonde whimpered brokenly, hugging her arms close, shaking as though she would come apart. "I can't…I didn't know cold like this was possible!"

Violet pulled out Mr. Fins Master ball, almost dropping it. It was coated with a thick layer of ice, impossible to open. The same with all of their Poke balls. If they broke the iced, they risked cracking the fragile metal underneath, breaking the spheres permanently.

Indigo was her only Pokemon, since he had been out when the Froslass struck. The only Pokemon any of them had.

Shadows licked across the ground in a grotesque dance, reflections through the thick blue ice, hinting at dark creatures and demons, hiding just behind the thousands of cold mirrored surfaces. Violet tensed, looking around cautiously, frozen in place.

Something grabbed her ankle, pulling harshly as though trying to unbalance her. Violet tore her foot away, her other foot skidding on the slick ground. The shadows intensified, moving faster and darker, a mad whirlwind of hinted terror.

A shadowed claw appeared in front of Violet's face, slashing at her exposed eyes. She jerked back, and the Shadow Claw sliced her hair neatly and savagely, drawing a line of blood across her cheek.

"_You think I'm playing?_" the Froslass said, her voice issuing from thin air as her shadows struck. _"You think this is a game you will win?_"

A white flash of light streaked across the floor. It hit Violets shoes, freezing them solid as ice crept up her legs, forcing her back. A shadowy claw grabbed her hair from behind, and Violets head was torn backwards, making her cry out. Disembodied black claws appeared in front of her horrified eyes again, tinged red. _"Die,_" the beautiful voice murmured silkily.

Somewhere behind her, Allison screamed wrenchingly, facing terrors of her own. Violet struggled against the claws holding her down, the ice creeping past her knees, but its grip was iron and cruel. The claws slashed for her eyes an instant before she closed them, in an attack that would tear them out.

A Dark Pulse exploded from her Lucario's body, sending the shadows in the room shrieking away, and shattering the ice encasing her legs. Violet broke free, falling back, and the claws slashed the air above her face.

"Violet," Indigo gasped roughly, kneeling beside her. "Are you okay?"

Violet couldn't answer, shocked by the horrible glee she had sensed. "I-" she started, only to break off brokenly. Her eyes were intact. So why did she feel as though she could not see?

The shadows retreated just out of sight, leaving Allison gasping on the floor.

"_Which of you will lose first?"_ the voice murmured thoughtfully. "_This is surprisingly fun. It has been too long since I've seen the color of crimson blood frozen in ice. It is a beautiful sight."_

"Let the children go," Morty said, standing up straighter with fire in his eyes. "Take me and be satisfied."

"_Tempting. But no. The girl has insulted my work, my eternal art. Do you know what fear is, ghost whisperer?"_

"I am no stranger to fear," Morty said grimly. "I train ghosts. I understand them. I know what is in your heart, Froslass. Give this up. Join me, and I will teach you. You will never have to be alone again."

Silence reigned for a few precious moments, and then the Froslass was in front of him, her eyes turned up. _"I have no heart_," she hissed with savage amusement. An icicle exploded from her tiny, doll-like hand, stabbing Morty through the stomach.

"No, _no!"_ Violet shouted, horror filling her eyes. Morty gave a strangled gasp, stumbling back a few steps. The Froslass shot upwards, spinning like a rocket, and disappeared into the ceiling.

Hot blood dripped from the wound, hissing as it hit the cold floor. The jagged spear of ice dripped with scarlet. Morty lifted away his hand, and was stained with red. He held up his dripping hand warningly, stopping the frantic girl. "I won't…bleed out…" he gasped, his breathing labored. "Not with this cold. The ice has to…stay in. If you take it out…really might die."

"I'm so sorry!" Violet cried. "I didn't…I never thought…"

"You never should have accepted. Not even if it meant…Roy's death," Morty berated, hissing as he straightened. "But you didn't know. All we can do is survive."

"V-v-v-violet! Piper stammered, pointing at a pair of slanted white eyes in the shadows. They disappeared in an instant when she looked, whipping her head around to see with violet eyes still filled with tears.

"_So weak_," the voice crooned from nowhere. _"You cry over nothing. Such a broken, damaged girl." _Violet turned in circles furiously, her shock giving way to anger. Allison's eyes narrowed, standing up shakily, also mad. They would never go down without a fight.

Piper screamed with terror from behind as the shadowy hands that had been creeping up on him snatched both his ankles when the girls were distracted. The sand haired boy was pulled backwards savagely across the ice, his hands grasping uselessly at the icy floor.

"Piper!" the two shouted simultaneously, turning as the boy was dragged away by inhuman strength, shrieking.

"I've got you!" Violet shouted, running and diving for his hands. She missed by inches as he was dragged into the deep shadows clinging to the wall. "Piper!"

"That wall is solid," Allison whispered fearfully, touching the ice Piper had disappeared into. "The ground too. There's nothing there, Vie. _Nothing_."

"That isn't possible!" Violet insisted, reaching for the wall, hidden in blackness. Her hand hit solid ice. Her body went cold with fear.

"Allison is right," Indigo confirmed, struggling to use his Aura-vision. The appendages under his ears rose and fell shakily as he tried to make a solid connection. He gave up, opening his crimson eyes. "Violet, we have to leave. _Now_."

"But Roy," Violet whispered. "What about Roy? And now Piper, too!"

"Violet…" Indigo said, as though unsure how to respond. He hesitated.

"We need to get moving," Violet said quietly. "We find Roy. And then we get out of here."

He closed his eyes as though in pain. When he opened them his eyes were weary, yet strangely determined. "I agree. We go, now."

Splendid, fluted arches soared into the high, crystalline ceiling. The blue ice gleamed, coating every surface like glass. So many passages to choose from, each more elegant than the last. It was like a palace of flawless, eternal perfection.

"Welcome to wonderland," Violet whispered to herself. She turned to Indigo and Morty. "Which way do we go?"

"I sense a flicker of Aura," Indigo said grimly. "It could be a trick. But it's coming from the middle passage."

"The best chance we've got," Violet whispered, steeling herself. Morty nodded in agreement, hissing as he took a step forward. He limped to their side, dragging one leg.

Indigo looked at Violet, and she nodded, taking a breath. Silence filled the cavern, as though they were really alone.

One passage led to another, and a third, leading them in infuriating circles as the paths shifted and changed, each room seeming like the last, but for one difference, or one passage. It was maddening. Indigo held out a hand, backtracking sharply, into the room they had just walked out of.

The previously plain chamber echoed with the distant rush of water. A cliff dropped off suddenly on one side, complete with a frozen waterfall. The remains of a river, flash frozen, struck through the floor.

It was completely different than the chamber they had just walked out of. Indigo whirled, and the tunnel was gone. They were boxed in.

"Froslass are masters of illusion," Morty said in a pained voice, his words weaker than they had been half hour ago. "It's playing with us. Messing with our heads."

If that was true…Indigo and Violet shared a look

"Did you hear that?" Allison said, breaking their unspoken communication."Hear what?" Violet answered, confused.

"There it was again!" Allison insisted, her green eyes going wide. "Can't you hear it? Why can't you hear that?"

Indigo and Violet met each others eyes. "Allison, there isn't anything there," Violet said softly, trying to soothe her friend. "It isn't real, Allison, trust me."

"I-it's _laughing_ at me," Allison whimpered, hugging her arms around her body savagely, her eyes horrified. "Such awful laughter! It won't stop!" She inhaled sharply, backing away with sudden fear at the sight of Violet. "G-get away from me! You monster!" she shouted desperately, staring with terror at her friend.

"Allison! Snap out of it!" Violet shouted, trying to reach her friend. Allison backed up, her eyes wide with horror, straight for the cliff behind her.

"How did you find me? I ran so far!" the blonde girl shrieked, terrified. "No! I won't let that happen again! Not ever! Where is that laughter coming from? Why won't it stop?! Oh, please, make it stop!" she moaned holding her head.

"Allison? Please, just listen to me, I won't hurt you! It's an illusion, Allison, it's _not real!_" Violet insisted with desperation, standing stock still. "I'm your friend. Don't move, okay?"

Her face twisted with hatred and grief. "Stay away!" she shrieked, her foot scraping the edge of the cliff. "I mean it!"

"It's okay," Violet said quickly, freezing in place, so as not to alarm the hallucinating girl. "I'm not coming. See? Just move away from the edge. Please."

Allison stared with naked horror in her green eyes as she saw her worst nightmare, made real by the Froslass. Her foot slipped, and she fell backwards, screaming.

"Allison!" Violet screamed piercingly, bursting into a run. She grabbed for her falling friend, nearly going off the edge herself before Indigo caught her around the waist, stopping her from plummeting after her friend. He held her tight, restraining her as she sobbed.

"_So brokenhearted,_" the voice said contemptuously. "_As if it matters. All humans die eventually, killed by the warm rot. Is it not better to die while young? To leave behind a beautiful corpse, a dead doll to be admired by all?"_

"You killed her!" Violet shouted, her tear filled eyes snapping towards the Froslass over flushed cheeks. "How could you? How could you-"

"_Relax, silly human,_" the Froslass snorted disdainfully. _"The losers are safe. They will be deposited outside the caves if you win the game. They are hardly worth killing." _

"Allison is alive?" Violet repeated in a child-like voice, barely daring to hope. Was it fair to renew hope after crushing it so entirely, smothered beneath failure? "Piper too?"

"_The game could not continue if you were stuck sobbing like a child,"_ the Froslass explained coldly. She threw her arms out, creating a screen of ice and snow.

Allison was frozen mid fall, her face still twisted with fear. Piper was curled up in a ball, his hands over his ears, frozen solid.

The image disappeared. "_I'm not finished yet_," the Froslass promised, her eyes turning up. She disappeared into a burst of snowflakes, her last words echoing ominously. "_You, girl, just might be worth killing…_"

Morty let out a huge, half moan sigh, sinking to his knees. They had broken the ice, so only the center, the part that went through him entirely, was still there, with a bit on each end sticking out. He had insisted, despite his cries of agony every time they touched the ice.

Now he was breathing raggedly, sluggish blood still seeping from the wound. He was soaked from the waist down. If he did not get out soon, it might be too late for him.

"It's no use, Violet" the ghost trainer gasped, his hand clutching weakly at the wound. "Even if you get Roy, she'll never let us leave. She'll probably just freeze you too."

"How can she do that?" Violet asked, stubbornly ignoring his pessimism. If she didn't believe they had a chance, the game was lost already. "I mean, how long can they stay frozen and stay alive?"

"That isn't just ice," Morty explained grimly, his eyes going dark as he remembered something from long ago. "Froslass are capable of holding a person in a suspended state indefinitely. Your friend will be like that forever, technically alive, but suspended between life and death until released. Frozen in time, forever."

"_Live forever,"_ Violet repeated with realization, her thoughts returning to the first glance of the Froslass. "But why Roy? Did he do something?"

"I don't know," Morty admitted tiredly. "I just can't answer that. Violet, we have to get moving. You've forgotten the cold, haven't you?"

Violet stopped. Now that he mentioned it, she didn't feel cold at all, really. Before she had felt as though she were dying of it, but now she felt strangely warm. Unfeeling. "Isn't that good?"

Indigo hissed, clearly understanding something she did not. "Violet, it means you've started to succumb to hypothermia. You'll die if you don't warm up. Do not fall asleep, no matter what happens."

Déjà vu. "I'm not sleepy," Violet confided. Actually, she thought, stretching her arms, she felt great.

"That isn't good either," Morty retorted, forcing himself shakily back to his feet. He was trembling like a leaf. The wound in his stomach was as wide as a fist, the bleeding only held back by the icicle and the penetrating cold. He was pale, covered in a sheen of sweat. "Lets move before-"

The Froslass appeared in front of Violet, her blue eyes crinkling slightly. Their faces were only inches apart as Violet's own eyes went wide with surprise, and the Froslass opened her mouth to exhale -40° breath.

A force threw her to the ground, out of the path of the deadly freeze, passing through the Froslass. She hit hard and unevenly, crying out.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Morty, frozen solid above her, a warning still in his eyes, his arms on either side of her.

Eyes flickered open from the shadows, and ten of them broke away. They picked up the frozen body before either of them could react, five Snorunt that ran into the shadows clinging to their prize. They melted into the dark, straight into a solid wall.

"_Three down,_" the Froslass purred, high in the air like a queen. "_I would have preferred to face the ghost trainer as my final opponent. But you will have to do."_

"I won't lose!" Violet shouted up at the white ghost. "I refuse! Too much is at stake! So you can take your game and just give up now, do you hear me? Because I won't stop. You can't hurt my friends and get away with it!"

"_We will see, mortal. Feel fear, and know the truth of the world!"_

The ground yawned open in a black pit beneath her feet as the Froslass waved her kimono-clad hand, in a perfect circle. Violet screamed as she fell, her limbs wind milling around uselessly.

The last thing she heard was Indigo's shout, far above her. And then the opening shrank with a snap, cutting off all light.

She hit the ground hard, roughly ten feet from where she had fallen. She landed badly, falling over and rolling across the rough ground, hissing as her shoulder took the brunt of the fall. She opened her eyes, as then blinked, trying again.

Pitch blackness surrounded her. She could not even see her hands.

"What do you want?" Violet whispered, scraping across sandpaper ice as she stood. "Where am I?" Light exploded in front of her as a panel of ice formed midair, showing her last view of Indigo as she fell, repeated on the mirrored screen. "Where are you?" Violet shouted, frustrated.

"_As though it makes a difference. My, your life is more interesting than I thought!"_ the Froslass laughed, her bell-like voice echoing. _"So many people who don't need you! You really are alone, aren't you?"_

"I'm not alone, Violet breathed, turning slowly as she tried to pinpoint the source of the voice. She needed to keep her talking. "I have good friends!"

A mirror appeared to her right, making her shriek. The image flickered, like old TV. A Lucario stood frozen in time, ice coating his contorted body. The statue was behind bars of twisting blue ice, like a prison. Violet hissed, fear spiking through her without her permission. Had Indigo already been caught?

She had no way of knowing.

"_So alone_," the Froslass breathed, right behind her. Violet whirled, but only caught a flash of white that was swallowed by midnight. _"You have nothing,"_ she said scornfully, her hand on Violet's shoulder, from the opposite direction. Violet gasped, whirling, and when she did she saw the largest ice mirror yet.

It was her own face, smiling and carefree. The image was cracked, and as she watched, it broke into a thousand pieces. "_No_, that's not-"

"_You smile, but I feel the hatred inside you_," the Froslass crooned from the dark. _"You aren't really so forgiving, are you? You just hide the ugly away, deep inside, like a shameful, cantankerous boil, ready to burst. A monster, pretending to be an angel for fear of the ugliness she knows she is capable of._"

Four mirrors formed around Violet, on all sides. Horrors met her eyes. A strange, dark haired man smirked cruelly, Indigo's blood on his hands. A blonde girl screamed, tears running from her black eyes as she tore out his soul. Karo smiled, an axe in one hand, her head in the other, held by her dark hair. And Sabrina stood impassively over a corpse, Daniels hand in hers, cut off at the wrist, Avery's moon ball still clutched in his dead fingers.

"_Stop it!_" Violet shouted, her eyes flickering from image to image in horror as she spun, trying to find a way out. She crossed her arms over her head, running through the edge where the mirrors met. She broke through like it was made of spider webs, breaking into the darkness in a dead run.

"_You can't escape your fears_," the Froslass said, her voice echoing discordantly through the dark as she ran. _"They will always be there, no matter how hard you try to ignore them._ _You are alone!"_

Violet ran, hundreds of mirrors on either side of her, stretching up as far as the eye could see. Each surface reflected another fear from her mind, another horror she refused to face. She tried not to see, she tried, but her eyes were drawn to them with a morbid horror as she ran headlong through the dark.

Mr. Fin, frozen like water, head thrown back in pain.

"_Face them_," the Froslass whispered.

Her father, cold and dead, lying serenely in a rose filled coffin, finally leaving her all alone.

"_You cannot escape!_" she hissed.

A boy with strange, blue-violet hair, trapped in a stockade made of sharp ice, spearing through his wrists. His head was down, his features hidden.

"_You cannot honestly hope to win?_" said a woman reflected in one mirror, raising an eyebrow. Her white kimono was set off by the crimson slash of her obi, like blood on snow.

Roy Stryker, trapped in ice forever.

"Please, stop!" Violet shouted, squeezing her eyes shut as she ran. Tears ran down her face, freezing on her cheeks. "Please!"

"_Strength and caring are easy,"_ the voice laughed, from every direction. _"Do you know the secret of bravery? It is not being fearless!"_

Violet skidded to a stop as a new mirror cracked into being directly in front of her path, forced to stop.

_Indigo, returning to the past, not even bothering to look back._

She backed up a few paces, her eyes staring at the screen. Another mirror grew at her side, and she looked instinctively.

_Daniels body, his horrified golden eyes looking straight at her with betrayal. His blood stained hand pointed accusingly at her, lying across the burned ground._

Violet changed direction violently to run between to of the mirrors lining her corridor. It didn't matter. There were more, everywhere she looked. Still Violet ran, trying not to see, to not feel.

How could anyone stay sane in an onslaught like this? It wasn't fair! No one could be expected to stay composed faced with all their worst nightmares, the kind of fears you didn't know existed until you saw them, then realizing it couldn't have been anything else.

A mirror broke through the ground, forcing her to stop, and Violet saw herself as a child, her short black hair bobbing around her face as she sobbed, alone in a dark room, in an always empty house.

Alone. Always, always alone!

"Please stop," Violet whispered in broken agony, backing away from the image in slow, shuddering steps, her hands over her face.

Indigo. He couldn't be going through anything this bad, could he? Violet went cold as she remembered Allison's shrieks, and Piper's demented screaming. No. It was equally bad, for all of them. The Froslass was playing their fears against them, and she was winning. Morty was the lucky one, being frozen in an instant.

How had she ever thought she could beat this?

The Froslass laughed delightedly, throwing back her head. _"You see now! You cannot face your fears, can never beat them! Fear is the most powerful weapon there is, because there is no one its blade cannot cut! Violet," _she said with sudden glee, _"open your eyes._"

Her hands fell away from her face numbly. One last mirror, the largest of them all, stood alone in front of her. The others had disappeared, returning to pitch darkness.

All of her friends were there, laughing and joking with each other playfully. They walked along a sunny path, that led towards the clouds high above. They looked as though they were having fun, frozen in a single moment as they walked along that path, backs to her.

Violet was not in the picture. She was nowhere to be seen, but no one seemed to care, laughing like everything was perfect with the world. She stared hopelessly.

"_No one needs you, not really_," the Froslass breathed, her voice next to Violets ear, one dainty hand on her shoulder. Violet did not turn, her gaze frozen to the mirror, and the Froslass leaned closer, their faces side by side. _"Roy won't have time for a weakling like you. He would scorn the weak little girl you are inside if he knew she was there. Allison will give up on you, the rookie who couldn't cut it, Piper will hate you for never seeing his feelings. Kylie says she forgives you, but how could she, after you murdered her brother? She will hate you, like Tara, leave you, like Daniel. He left you too, you know. He died and left you alone, after promising to stay by your side."_

Violet couldn't speak, staring at the flickering picture with something that burned like regret, and froze like grief. The Froslass laughed quietly. Ice began to creep up Violet's arms, little crystals of snow that joined and grew. Frost started to form on her skin as she stared.

"_Indigo,"_ the Froslass said, caressing the word. _"He has never needed you. He would have been better off with a talented trainer, not a loser like you. You have failed him. And soon, he will return to the past and leave you behind forever. You will be alone in darkness, with no one to hear your sobs!"_

The ice spread from the Froslass's hand, slowly encasing the comatose girl in cold. Her hair froze from the tips up, going white with crystals of snow. _"Give up,"_ the Froslass crooned. _"Be immortalized in ice, forever happy. Fears don't matter to ice. You won't ever be hurt again, Violet. Why hold on to this life, so full of pain and fears?"_

Violet's foot scraped across the floor, in a tiny step. She took another, her eyes never leaving the mirror. "Maybe…maybe you're right," she whispered, taking another step. "But I will face life. Even if I'm truly alone, I will help my friends. If they are happy, I don't care what they think!"

She took a deep breath, steeling herself, and ran directly forward, ice cracking off her skin with motion.

She broke through the mirror, her arms over her face, and the Froslass shrieked with anger behind her. The image rippled like water behind her, and suddenly the illusion was broken entirely.

Violet ran from the shadows encasing a solid wall, finally daring to look back. The wall of ice she had come from was solid.

"Violet!" a familiar voice gasped, and when she whirled, he was there, his crimson eyes wide as he stared. After a heartbeat, she ran to him, throwing her arms around her friend and partner, trying so very hard not to cry, to hide the weakness inside where he couldn't see it.

"You're so cold, Violet," Indigo breathed, huffing with concern. "There is frost in your hair."

"Indigo, are you okay? Did anything happen?" Violet asked, drawing back to meet his eyes.

His face closed off, becoming guarded. "You could say that," he snarled quietly. Before she could ask for details, he turned away sharply. "I can sense a flicker of Roy's aura," he reported. "We must be very close."

Violet opened her mouth, shutting it just as quickly. She nodded, taking his hand as he led the way.

Who would want to relive their worst fear?

After a bare two minutes of walking, with Indigo leading the way through the twisting passages, they came to a massive, gaping arch. Blackness could be seen inside. It was like the jaws of a massive Pokemon, complete with jagged teeth made of ice.

"He's in there, I think," Indigo breathed, his nose wrinkling as he focused, his eyes shut tight. "Follow me, and stay close."

They stepped gingerly between the massive teeth on the entrances lower jaw, avoiding the jagged, serrated spikes. She walked in darkness, unable to see or feel anything besides Indigo's hand in hers. She clung to it, her eyes wide and sightless as she tried to make out anything, anything at all. But Indigo's steps never faltered, and she followed blindly, trusting him.

Suddenly the darkness receded like oil, leaving them in a dimly lit cavern coated with glacial ice. Violet gasped, letting Indigo's paw go, running forward.

"Roy!" she shouted, running all the way to the wall. The sole light was coming from the massive pillar of blue ice in front of her. Inside, still arching back with shock and pain, was Roy Stryker, trapped forever. Violet cat her eyes around desperately, picking up a large rock. She hit the surface of the pillar, cracking it so the image of Roy distorted. She gritted her teeth, slamming the rock down on the pristine ice again, and the web of cracks expanded.

It shattered suddenly, almost without warning, and the frozen boy tumbled out, his body limp and blue. Violet caught him, stumbling under the weight. "Roy," she gasped. His eyes were closed, his breathing shallow. "We'll get you out of here!" Violet promised recklessly. "We can carry you out together! It will be okay!"

"I don't think it will be that easy, Violet," Indigo whispered, and at his tone she looked up. Her eyes stared, uncomprehending, and then widened with horror as she realized what she was looking at.

The cavern was filled with blue pillars of ice identical to the one Roy had been encased in, row after row of flawless crystal, illuminated by strange lights on the ceiling. Every one held a trainer, frozen with a horrified expression on their faces. Some of them wore clothes that looked like they belonged in another time, old fashioned and out dated.

Violet stared with wide lilac eyes. Her cheeks were flushed with cold, and frost still clung to her black hair as her breath misted in front of her cracked lips.

Twenty eight pillars of ice, not including the one Roy had been in. Twenty eight trainers, frozen forever.

"_Do you like my collection?_" the Froslass tittered, floating out from behind one pillar. She circled it, admiring the ten year old girl trapped inside, her fists out as though she were beating on glass. "_Eternal ice, preserved power. I find them, the strongest trainers in the world, the ones who have yet to make a name for themselves, and I take them. Their talent will never falter, their strength will remain legendary, never weakened by the horrors of old age. Frozen, forever, in time itself."_

"That's wrong!" Violet shouted, broken forcefully out of her stupor. "You can't hold them like this forever! They'll never die, but they'll also never grow! Trapping them against their will, just for your collection…that's evil!"

"_You wouldn't understand_," the Froslass chided. "_You're barely a child, just sixteen. I've been taking trainers for fifty years. They would thank me, if they could speak."_

"They would curse you if they knew what you'd done," Indigo whispered with horror, staring at the trainers with something like fear. "They would curse you for doing this to them."

"_You lie,"_ the Froslass hissed, her gold and blue eyes narrowing beneath her mask of bone. "_Who doesn't want to live forever?_"

"Let them go," Violet said furiously, each word distinct. "This is wrong. Life is useless if it is not lived. Can't you see that? Old age is _worth it_."

The ice witch stared at her with fury. "_I've decided not to let you go after all,_" she announced. "_Your nonsense proves your ignorance. Today, you die. The final punishment."_

"Indigo," Violet whispered, laying Roy down gently on the ground. "We're taking her down."

The Froslass threw back her head and laughed. "_Your ideals against mine then! The winner of this match proves their way is the right one! You have proven to be quite a bit of fun!"_

"Indigo, Dark Pulse!" Violet shouted, her eye blazing despite the chilling cold.

Her Lucario sprang into action, murder in his dark eyes as the black energy coated his paws. He fired the pulsing wave, crying out with fury.

The Froslass faded away into nothing. Her laughter echoed around them. She materialized at the far end of the room, raising both arms outward. Lightning shattered from her body, changing the light in the room, the wicked Thunderbolt striking Indigo head on.

"Use Quick Attack to get close, and the another Dark Pulse!" Violet ordered, fighting back her instinctive wince as he cried out. "We can't lose here!"

"_Have you forgotten what I showed you, warrior?"_ the Froslass chided gently, floating in mid air as she circled his Quick Attack. She faded out of existence before the Dark Pulse could hit. "_Your memory is short. You cannot fight truth._"

"That was a lie!" Indigo shouted, panic in his eyes. "No way that was real!"

The moment his concentration broke, the Froslass grabbed his arms from behind. He arched back, shouting, as lightning tore through him.

"Indigo!" Violet shouted. "Focus, don't let her get to you! Dark Pulse, again!"

"_Repetitive," _the Froslass mused, disappearing as though she had never been. _"Could it be the only move he has that would affect a ghost? That makes you predictable."_ She appeared in front of his face, using Frost Breath. Indigo threw his head back as the glacial cold blossomed above him, freezing the water in the air to form tiny puffs of snow that rained gently down on him. He growled sharply, firing another black pulse, but she was gone again, laughing.

"Indigo, attack the ice pillars with a Dark Pulse," Violet called grimly. "Destroy them all."

"_What_?" Indigo hissed, spinning to look at her. "We don't know if they'll survive that!"

"Trust me," she asked, her gaze steady. Indigo stiffened, as though he had heard the words before, and turned quickly.

"_No! You fools!_" the Froslass shrieked, diving in front of Indigo's Dark Pulse, shielding her art. She flew back as the attack hit, smacking the ice with a cry. She rose back into the air, murder in her eyes, but Indigo hid behind a pillar of ice. She froze, stopping her attack.

"_So that is your strategy?" _the Froslass laughed bitterly. "_Destroy my life's work to force me to submit? It will never work!"_

"Again, Indigo!" Violet shouted, and the Froslass widened her eyes.

"_Don't do this,_" she pleaded, taking another blow. _"Please! I'll let you leave!"_

Indigo hesitated, looking at Violet. The moment his attention wavered, the Froslass hit him with a tornado of snow and ice that spun from her gaping mouth.

Indigo was frozen solid in the Blizzard attack. The Froslass floated back to the air with glee, her eyes on Violet.

"_Where were we, lonely Violet?_" she purred.

The ice encasing Indigo cracked. And then it burst into a million pieces as he fired a Dark Pulse that exploded from his entire body with a shout. The blow struck the Froslass from behind, and she cried out, careening wildly. Indigo snarled, bringing back a black coated hand for the final blow.

The Froslass cringed back, bringing up one dainty hand. Purple chains exploded from her hand, snaking around to trap Violet, binding her.

She let her hand fall, looking at Indigo disdainfully as the chains faded from view. Violet could still feel them around her neck, their weight threatening to make her fall. _"Destiny Bond_," the Froslass hissed. "_Stay away, warrior."_

Indigo froze, unsure what to do. He backed away warily, his eyes on the Froslass. Violet gasped for air, the invisible chains forcing her to her knees with their leaden weight.

"_It is time I ended this_," the Froslass said sadly. "_Perhaps my time is done. We die together, Violet. Your ideals proved powerful indeed."_

"Is that all you think life is?" Violet demanded, struggling for breath. Her eyes flashed. "Just a game, to be given up?"

The Froslass drew back, surprised by her words. _"Of course_," she murmured, as though it were obvious. "_You won. I lost. What else is there but to end the game?"_

"Th-there's _life_," Violet whispered, her eyes defiant. "Sunshine, and growth, and donuts! Life is ever changing. People and Pokemon live side by side, growing and getting _stronger_, not staying at the same level for eternity. There's everything good in this world. So much to see and do…it's not something you could know, living here, alone."

"_That cannot be true_," the Froslass insisted, seeing into her mind. _"How can such wonders exist in this rotten world? It is not possible!_"

"I've…seen it," Violet gasped, choking on air. She doubled over, trying in vain to yank the chains from her throat. The Froslass was killing herself, bringing Violet with her. "It's there."

"_How could I witness this?_" the Froslass demanded, glaring at Violet hatefully. "_How can I make it mine? Tell me, girl!"_

Violet lifted her eyes to the ghost, weariness evident in their normally vibrant color. Without a word, she held out an Ultra ball, taken from her pack with shaking fingers.

"_You suggest bondage. Slave and master_," the Froslass hissed. "_Is that truly the only way?_"

"I don't know," Violet said, her voice breaking. "Maybe it could be more than that. Maybe we can learn to trust each other, and learn from one another. Maybe…but even I'm…not sure…"

The Froslass regarded the dying girl coldly. Then she exhaled sharply, irritated. "_If you have lied, I could always just kill you_,_ I suppose_," she mused. And then the powerful ghost pressed the center of the Ultra ball, disappearing in scarlet light.

The sphere rolled furiously, stopping with a hollow click.

~o~

Violet sat huddled beneath a thick blanket, shivering despite being in the sunlight once again. She sneezed miserably, blowing her nose on a tissue.

"Y-y-you think you had it bad?" Roy shivered, glaring at her. "I was _literally frozen._"

Violet sneezed again, groaning. "You're welcome."

"Oh, I'm grateful," the rookie assured her. "I'm just saying, I'm way colder than you. And I didn't even get sick at a-" He broke off, sneezing hard. Violet snickered at him.

Med teams from Cinnabar moved purposefully around the beach, carrying out the other trainers the Froslass had kidnapped, and loading them into rescue helicopters. Some were hardly breathing, in coma like states, but others had woken immediately, demanding to know what was going on. Some of them had been trapped for decades.

"I h-h-hate _this_!" Allison wailed, her nose red. "Cold sucks! Why do we even have it?"

"Cold exists purely to annoy you, Allison," Indigo said, rolling his eyes at her. He alone was unaffected by the cold. Smugness radiated from his core while the others glared at him.

"What did that thing-" Roy broke off to sneeze. "-_do_ to you guys, anyways?"

The four went silent.

"What?" Roy complained. "What did I say?"

"Don't ask," Violet whispered, hugging her knees to her chest under her thick wool blanket. Indigo looked down, Allison mirroring him guiltily. Piper had yet to regain the power of speech, or normal breathing, since they had come out of the cave. He clenched his fists mutely.

Morty had been carried off by the first helicopter on scene. It looked as though he would live. He had been lucky it was so cold, or he would have died in minutes from that wound.

"And you caught that thing?" Roy said finally when no one else spoke. "Are you insane?"

"Everyone deserves a second chance," Violet said simply, sighing. She looked up, smiling half heartedly. "I guess it's just my job to give that to her."

"And another psychotic Pokemon joins Violet's team," Indigo growled. "_Lovely_."

The five of them looked up as a figure broke from the crowd of medical personnel and officers, walking towards them. Blaine leaned heavily on his cane, stopping in front of them.

"You fought bravely, girl. You saved many lives today," Blaine rumbled. He held out her Volcanobadge, the crimson metal gleaming in the sunlight. "You forgot this, when you challenged a mentally unstable ghost to a death match," he grumbled roughly, pushing it at her. "Take it."

Violet reached out, her cold fingers caressing the metal surface before she picked it up. "Thank you, sir," she said respectfully. "I'm honored."

"No, thank you," Blaine sighed, turning to the side. His normally immaculate suit was scorched, from the flames he had used to blast through the ice of the upper levels of the Seafoam Islands, reaching them before they froze to death. "Take this as well," he said after a moment of silence, holding out a gleaming disc.

"Flamethrower," Blaine explained. "This TM is rare. Use it wisely."

Roy gaped as Violet took the CD. "You stingy old man! You never gave me one of those!"

Blaine smacked the top of his head with his cane, growling. "Stingy, am I? Did you single-handedly rescue thirty kidnapped trainers, hmm? Or did you get caught and play the damsel in distress, you overly fashionable fop?"

"That's _one_ way to look at it," Roy grumbled, rubbing the top of his head. "_Nasty_ old man," he said feelingly as Blaine walked away, muttering.

Violet gaped. "Wait a second, you still owe me donuts!" she complained. "You promised!"

"I come back from the depths of that nightmare, and all you can do is think about your stomach?" Roy complained, putting a hand to his heart like he had been shot. "Ouch, Bimbi. Ouch."

"Why you little-" Violet broke off, sneezing. She glared at him. "Next time, save yourself!"

"They're going to be like this until we all get better, aren't they?" Allison asked miserably, blowing her nose. "Should've let that Froslass kill me."

"Yeah," Piper said softly, smiling numbly, seeming to welcome the distraction. Everyone stared as he spoke his first word since leaving. Roy smiled almost fondly at his little brother.

Violet went pale when she saw the Cinnabar nurse stalking towards them determinedly. The same nurse she had promised she would take no unnecessary risks.

"Aw, crap," Violet whimpered, cringing. "Indigo, save me!"

"Not a chance," her Lucario said, amused. "You deserve it."

"Wah, you're mean!"

And so, the day was won. Indigo and Violet defeated another foe, and won the famed Volcano badge. But neither of them could know how little time they had left together, before Indigo said his goodbyes.

The Pokemon League was in three months.

~o~

**A/N **I'd like to thank you all for your support. This chapter is dedicated to you. Thank you for being there, and giving me advice and telling me what you liked. I really appreciate it.

This is a little sad. I feel like the story is ending, even though there are still plenty of chapters left. I'm glad you guys put up with me long enough for me to write this incredible, stupidly long thing. The only way to become a better writer is to write, and this has been an excellent opportunity to practice.

I added nearly five pages to chapter ten, Golden Dreams and Violet Nightmares. Most of it is extra Daniel flashbacks, and the entire thing has been edited and improved by a lot. Check it out and let me know what you think. :D

Have you guys heard the news about the new fairy type in Gen 6? Ugh. DX

~K-tori out!


	20. Feeding the Fire

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kanto, but Halleden is mine, and set above the Kanto map. Don't give me that look, at least I didn't invent my own region. XD**

**Note: The plan was for all of Indigo's remaining past story to be in this chapter, before I finished with Violet. But, and yes this happens a lot, I split it. I have both chapters completely written, and edited, so the next chapter will finish Indigo's story. Violet will not be in anything in the next two, to finish with the past story and Layla.**

**Thank you all for putting up with this. Chapter 21 will be up in seven days time.**

~o~

November 2 It has been a full year since I wrote in this book. I keep it with me always, and by now, the leather is worn and faded. It is not because I haven't wanted to write, but because I have a secret to keep now, one so precious I can never compromise it. No one must know, not even the reader of this book.

I only write today because of the thought of the third most precious person in the world to me. Analynn Harthrow. Oh, to taste her name on my lips, after so long! Ana, my dear, dear Ana. I'm going to see you again! To see your eyes, your impossible hair, that crinkle in your forehead you swear doesn't exist…too long I've survived on mere memory. We are forever linked, you and I, through life and death itself.

How old is your child, I wonder? I heard the news, like everyone in the kingdom, of a beautiful baby girl. Riza. Such an awful name. Did king sewage waste come up with it? Well, because she is yours, I'm sure she will be perfect.

Seven days. Seven days, and we will meet again. Seven days, and everything will be over once and for all. This mission is the one that everything in the last year has led up to, the single most important event in Halledens history. This war will be over forever, and peace restored to the land. Our war has been fought bitterly, but we still stand. We cannot be defeated by the weak wills of the broken!

I should probably explain. My name is Layla Crie, and in seven days I'm going to assassinate the king.

OoO

November 6 I'm shaking so hard I can barely write. I can hardly believe this is really going to happen. But I must stay calm, or all might be lost. Breathe.

Nivali delivered a warning today. She does that occasionally, and is rarely wrong. _The sword of fire, born of your blood, will destroy the reigning monarchs lies, until finally killed by love._

I, of course, haven't the faintest idea what it means. I asked her, and she admitted she didn't either. The sword of fire sounds promising. And if it kills the king, I don't care if it comes of my blood or not. Some causes are worth dying for. I suppose that in itself is a kind of death by love.

Ah, but I've ranted too much. Our team of seven, including Devin and myself, are suiting up for the raid immediately. As co-leader of the Scorned, both me and Devin have taken to donning black capes. Ana, I can imagine your reaction. Be quiet, they're cool. More importantly, they are a symbol of strength.

Kylara has grown n the past year. She is everything we could hope for in a future leader, despite her age. I've never met anyone so good at diffusing fights, or so pure, right to the core. She will make a peerless Queen. Yes Ana, she will be better than even you. She will, quite simply, be the greatest monarch this land has ever known.

I worry about you. I worry that this raid will succeed, and you will be hurt. It may take time for you to accept your husbands murderous nature, but I am certain you will come to terms with it, and leave.

I can't. What if you are caught in the crossfire? What if, what if.

I don't know if I can risk that. I will try to find another way, if can.

OoO

_Devin. If you are reading this, it means that things have gone wrong. I left late last night. I left to get Analynn, before we stormed the castle. I couldn't risk her getting hurt, not for any reason, and I pray that you never see this entry. If everything goes well, you never will._

_But if things did…go wrong. _

_I love you. I know we've had our differences, especially near the beginning, but this year has been the only year of my life that really mattered. I've been happy, to be with you and the Scorned. I love you, I love you, I love you. I couldn't imagine spending my life with anyone else, and such a life it has been!_

_And if I did not come back, I can only say I'm sorry. I love you, and I'm sorry, but I had to go. I could not risk both of us getting captured, not with things….how they are, and so I leave alone._

_Take care of yourself. Take care of the Scorned, and end this war without me. Protect our treasure, our secret weapon, and live on._

_I leave this book on my pillow, where I know you will find it if I disappear. Take care, my husband and friend. I love you. Goodbye._

OoO

Layla, you fool. Waiting for me would have been too difficult, hmm? You couldn't _let me come with you_? Couldn't inform me of your leaving beforehand?

I would have stopped you. I would never have let you go into that place alone. And you knew it. Layla, you fool!

I don't know what to do from here. Would you like me to write what happened? What we _saw_, that morning after you disappeared?

We saw your body, Layla. Writing that, imagining that, does not do the _shock_, the _pain_, justice. I can barely hold this pen, but on the off chance you see this again, I want you to know what it did to us.

Our first sight of you was at dawn, when the light first hit the stone walls of the castle. It did not register at first, your long, black hair, waving in the wind over your face, the deep bruises pooling over your pale skin, the blood staining your side. The mark of the Scorned had been burned into the skin of your stomach through your shirt.

Layla Nightwalker, we saw you hanging from the castle walls by your arms, beaten nearly to death, and barely breathing. Imagine, will you, what that did to us? Us, the family you chose for yourself, the Scorned. You are one of us, an irreplaceable part, and to those not married to you, you are like a _sister_. Hatred, rage, those are just words, and they do not do the feeling that swept through us justice.

Layla. Saying your name, it's like I am with you again. Layla. I do not know what happened, to make things go so very wrong. We have had no word from Kaya as of yet, from her position inside the castle walls.

I am coming for you, darling. Suicide mission, or not, it doesn't matter. Linalay will protect our 'secret weapon', as you have dubbed him. If something happens to me as well, she will do so forever, in the town that everything seems to revolve around.

I can see why you write in this book. I leave at nightfall. Until then, I will read the words you left behind and pretend that the world was perfect, and you were still with me.

OoO

Date. I honestly don't remember.

Kaya came into the camp about fifteen minutes ago, just as I was preparing to leave. Darling, she brought your story. Her undercover work as a maid meant that she was there, with the Queen, the night you appeared. I can't even fathom how you must have felt. Oh Layla, I'm so sorry.

You snuck into the castle under cover of darkness. From there, you found Analynn Calariam, in her tower room. After a reunion, and your confession of our secret, you asked her to come with you. You explained everything, including the sins of the king. Analynn betrayed you. She knew, the entire time, what a monster he was, she knew and stuck by him.

Guards flooded the room and she begged them not to hurt you, but the King, that despicable scum, wouldn't have it. I'm grateful you are alive, but I'm going to kill that monster for what he did to you. He made you into an example, and he will pay dearly for it.

Your best friend is either too understanding or stupid, but frankly, I don't care in the slightest. She hurt you, however unintentionally, and she has earned my scorn.

This is the last time I write in your book. Either I die, or you return. There is no other option.

OoO

November 10 Analynn. Oh, how could you, Ana?

I have, of course, read Devin's version of events. I would only add that she tried to free me, after I was hung from the walls, and stopped by the king. I do not know what happened to her, but he was determined to keep me a prisoner, until I died of exposure.

It would not have been much longer. My hands had long lost feeling when the sun rose. My shoulders were screaming, along with the scorching burn on my stomach, but I could not even summon the strength to raise my head.

I was dying. Blood loss, exposure, dehydration, you name it, it was killing me. I had long given up hope, betrayal sapping my strength and numbing my mind, when you came for me, Devin. You stormed the castle for me, my love, and your strength was enough to get to me. I barely noticed as you pulled me up, my abused arms scraping on stone, but then you were holding me close, breathing my name as if it were something precious, and I came alive again.

I could barely stand. My hands had lost all circulation, and it would be hours before I could use them properly again. We were surrounded by weapons and Pokemon alike, and you were in bad shape yourself. The King broke through the guards, and smirked, knowing we were trapped.

I wanted so badly to punch him. I would have, if I had been able to feel my arms. I should have frozen him to a tree when I had the chance.

You put your arms around my waist and whispered a single word to me. I think my heart must have stopped.

"_Jump._"

He threw us both back, off the fifty foot wall, and I screamed. Wind tore my voice from my throat, and then we were flying on your Fearow, away and safe. Arrows sought us, but never hit. I wish I could have seen his face.

I have never been so happy to be alive, surrounded by my family as I am now.

But strangely, I feel as though things are not yet right.

OoO

This is the end of everything.

I was being tracked. That's why the king let us go so easily. A psychic lock had been placed on my mind, a lock that any psychic Pokemon could follow. His army came, and attacked the camp of the Scorned at nightfall. I woke, and I heard my friends, my _family_, dying.

I struggled to my feet and released Nivali, my Ninetales, and went to war.

I made her promise once, never to curse to kill, but still, I held no bars on this fight. Nivali is old, ancient even, and her power absolute. She cursed everyone in sight, whether friend or foe, judging them by the good in their hearts.

She must have turned fifty soldiers into Pokemon, but it wasn't enough. We were losing.

I couldn't see Devin. Unarmed people, members of the Scorned and their families, were being killed around me, in the worst bloodbath I had ever seen. Confusion reigned. I had only Nivali. My other Pokemon fought around my tent, protecting the most precious thing in the world.

I fought with sword and fire, forcing my screaming body to obey. I was almost struck down by a soldier wielding an axe, and my Ninetails ripped out his throat, spattering her milk and crème fur with blood. Her fangs were bared under shining crimson eyes, her tails whipping through the air madly. Such a sight she was!

"Stand and deliver!" I shouted aloud, pointing my silver blade at the king through the fray. "Fight me, and end this all!"

I was challenging him to a one on one fight, to the death. To protect the people I cared about, I had no choice. When our blades clashed it was the only sound in the battle, as everyone stopped to watch. I parried his blows, stabbing at his stomach and face, and despite my height and weight disadvantage, I was much, much faster. I pushed him back, towards the edge of the circle around us, our blades throwing sparks as the metal shrieked.

I was winning. My blood sang, and I knew nothing else. I cut his leg, and drew back my sword for the final blow. The King made a slashing gesture with his free hand.

I heard Devin shout my name. I turned, as though in slow motion, and saw him dive in front of the arrow meant for me. It struck him in the heart, and the sound was like a physical blow to me.

Pain was all I knew then, as the King split my unprotected back open with his sword.

I heard screaming as I fell, warm staining my back, and Nivali went mad. I saw her cursing everything in sight, from my place on the ground, lying with my face in the dirt as my life drained out of me. She knocked the king down, her claws in his chest.

"_No_," I whispered, my voice surprisingly strong. My mind was numb. I couldn't feel. _So much blood_. The ground ran with it. I tasted it in my mouth and smelled it in the air.

She snarled her anger at my restriction, and her telepathic voice tore through the air. "_Monstrous sinner, you shame humankind!_" she snapped, bloody fangs bared. Her crimson eyes narrowed with glee. "Something special, for you. _The fires of war must be killed, the death cut short before begun. Legends of old will fight the heir, the colors split from one. Natures kin will bring slow deaths, for your 'pride' and for your sons!"_

The King reeled back as though he had been slapped. His face went pale, and suddenly he was gasping for air, as though he had been struck by illness. Nivali retracted her claws from his flesh and stepped away, and his gasping slowed.

"_Foolish human,"_ my Nivali scorned. "_I have seen your death by Layla's hand, however _indirect._ Your curse can only be broken by the fires of Entei itself! Burn in agony for your actions this day!"_ She reared up on her hind legs, fire spiraling from her mouth in a torrent aimed at the sky.

I watched all this, wondering vaguely how long it would take me to die. Then Kaya was at my side, gasping. She tried to wrap my wound, but the second she touched me, Nivali leapt for her throat.

Kaya threw a Poke ball at her, and it rolled furiously for the longest time, until it seemed as though she simply gave up, drained of will. The poke ball stopped, and hands were on my back as Kaya released her Chansey. I knew no more.

I woke bare hours later. I couldn't feel anything, not mentally or physically. I felt dead. I was lying in my tent, which had survived. The one miracle of this day.

I was surrounded by my Pokemon. There were four I expected to see, four who are now free. I was not Nivali's first trainer, and sure enough, I was not the last. Kaya will care for her.

As for my four, dear So-Ah, brave Walter, beautiful Mireal, and valiant Tatsu, I wish nothing but happiness for them. They will defend this land I have neglected, just as they defended my hope here today.

But it was not just four I saw.

Suicune stood at the foot of my makeshift bed, its blue eyes solemn. It seemed to stare into my soul, a silent witness. A stab of pain shot through my heart, as I remembered the last time I had seen the legendary Pokemon, with Devin. Oh, _Devin_.

I picked up this pen to record my final words.

The Scorned have been utterly destroyed. The king, though cursed, is alive. I can feel the strength leaving me, despite Kaya's care, and the will to live has long abandoned me as well. I am dying, and the rebellion dies with me.

Linalay will be glad to finally be a mother. And as Devin's sister, I know she will be a good one. Oh, but I wish it could be me! That thought is the only thing that brings a spark of emotion to my numb heart.

My name is Layla Crie, Layla Nightwalker, and the Sword of the Scorned. I was the girl who led the king to the camp of the rebellion. I was the girl who betrayed a nation. And I was the girl who nearly destroyed it entirely.

I am so very tired. I will sleep, and write again in the morning.

OoO

~o~

Indigo stared at the end of the page, his mind going numb. "That can't be it," he said aloud. He flipped several pages. They were blank. "Where is the rest?"

"That is it, Nightwalker," Mayanna said simply. "Layla died that night. Her Pokemon were scattered, and the rebellion died."

"That can't be _it_," Indigo insisted. "What about the two heirs?"

Mayanna sighed. "I do not know all the details," she admitted. "I was so very young at the time. But when the rebellion was destroyed, the people were terrified. They swore loyalty to the king because of fear. They had seen what the king was capable of after all. But I can tell you this. The heirs survived the night."

Indigo's head snapped up. "They are alive?" he demanded. "But…where did they _go_? And why not return?"

"They were imprisoned far away," Mayanna said simply, her eyes going strangely blank. "The people, they gave them to a monster in exchange for his promise to leave. The girl, Kylara, died years ago."

"And the boy? Tero, wasn't it?"

"I don't know," Mayanna said shortly, rising to her feet. "Maybe he died too."

She left, leaving Indigo alone in the library. The Quagsire continued to stare at him unnervingly, its smile never changing.

"What are you looking at?" Indigo sighed. Layla's statue laughed, carefree and beautiful forever. He rose to his feet, his legs complaining as circulation returned.

Indigo reached the doorway and turned around. "You coming?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "I could use a Pokemon trained by a legend."

"Walter, walt," the Quagsire said gravely, making Indigo smile half heartedly. It followed, and Indigo walked out of her tomb.

Layla's diary had taught him one thing, at least, Indigo reflected grimly. You never knew how much time you had. It could be months, or years, or days. Even hours.

He couldn't leave Riza alone. Not when she needed him most. Not because of simple guilt.

Even if she didn't forgive him, even if she hated him for his crimes, he would stay with her.

~o~

He didn't expect her room to be empty.

Indigo had crept up to her floor like a vaguely pathetic ninja, paranoid about being seen. He knew that no one knew, about him calling Entei to the castle, but still he felt as though he were a criminal. Captain Aren was injured, but the legendary had been repelled from the stone walls at last.

He wondered if she had told her parents everything. About Indigo, the monster, the _Nightwalker_. His heart ached.

When he finally got to her room, looking suspiciously around for any signs of life, he fully expected a confrontation.

But no one was there, save the Princess herself. He opened the door slowly, and she was there.

Her head was down. The girl he loved was sitting in bed, her legs under the covers, and he could not see her face. The gauzy drapes that extended between the mahogany corner posts of the bed were pulled back.

All he wanted to do was run. Suddenly, he didn't feel so brave anymore. He would rather fight Entei barehanded than face her right now. He could have lost her trust forever, and that terrified him.

"Nightwalker," Riza greeted without looking up, her voice flat.

He winced. "How are you feeling? Are you okay?"

She laughed, so low it was barely audible. "Nobody asks the monster if its feeling alright, Indigo," she berated. He narrowed his eyes at this.

"Oh please," Indigo scoffed, angry despite himself. What did she know of being a monster? Nothing. "A monster? And what have you done to deserve that title?"

"Less than you!" Riza accused, and she finally turned to glare at him. He took an involuntary step back. Her skin was still marked, stained like ink, in strange pointed swirls, like the vines of an ivy plant. They hadn't faded, and somehow he knew they never would again. "I've never killed! You have, haven't you Indigo? You've killed, and you've brought Pokemon and people to _him_ to be killed! You're the legend that gives children nightmares, the rumor that gives even adults chills! Why did you do it? Did he offer to give you powers like mine? Or did you _want_ to be like him?"

Indigo hissed at her accusations, his eyes narrowing. "I would _never_," he said furiously, "-_never_ want to be like him! And like I would ask to be turned into a freak!"

She recoiled like she'd been slapped, her eyes wide. She looked down again, hurriedly. "_Fine_," she whispered. "I get it. You should go, Indigo. If you stay maybe the Pokemon experiment will rub off on you after all."

Indigo wanted to punch himself. "Riza," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. He stood, awkwardly, unsure what he should do. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

"True though," she said softly, holding her knees to her chest. "I can feel them, Indigo. It was faint before, but not now. I can hear them whispering to each other, to me. They hate humans. Feed off of them. People are nothing more than food to us."

She was talking as though she weren't a human. Like she was a ghost. But she didn't even seem to notice. "I can taste it, you know," she continued, defiantly almost. "Your fear. Why are you afraid? Do you think I'm going to kill you, because that's all monsters can do?"

He hesitated. "You do scare me. Princess, I'm terrified. But not because you're some ghost. I'm scared of the human part of you."

"Why?" she asked in a childlike voice, a strange sound echoing as she spoke. As though someone else was speaking with her.

And Indigo hated it. He hated how his words came out wrong, and they were talking like strangers. Like they didn't even know each other anymore. "You should know without me telling you. I love you, Riza. Isn't that reason enough to be scared?"

"Indigo, you _can't_!" Riza gasped, whirling to face him. "You can't say that! I'm not the same as I was before, I'm not something to be loved! Look at me!"

He did. He stared at her features, rememorizing the curve of her cheek, her soft lips, her eyes, still violet and human, warm and alive. His heart ached at how she looked. He realized at once that she was scared, too. She didn't want to lose her best friend. He relaxed, and he didn't feel so exposed anymore. He was not alone. He smiled sadly, staring at her beautiful face.

"I knew a girl once you know," Indigo said, his eyes never leaving her. "The most amazing girl in the world. She was warm, and brave, and every time I saw her again it was like the world got brighter. Oh, don't get me wrong. She was annoying, and stuck up, and fearless to the point of insanity. There were times I thought she was the last person on earth I would want to be with. But then she would do something silly and kind, like buying me a cookie when I was feeling down, or helping me up after I fell. After she laughed herself silly, of course. She was amazing and wonderful, but not perfect. She was my best friend."

"I know this story," Riza said. "The girl was a Princess, and her best friend was a person. Just a person, but that was the very best part of him. He didn't bow, or call her highness unless he was being sarcastic, and he was scared of practically everything. He once got chased by an angry Mareep, and he looked so terrified the girl nearly died of laughing, before she chased it off. The girl thought he was ridiculous, but she always came back, and after a while she couldn't imagine what life would be like without him."

Riza fell silent for a long time. She suddenly looked so very sad. "And then, the girl got sick, and her friend was the brave one. He fought for her, and with her, but he always cared, more than she deserved. She was so happy, even though she was sick, because he was there, and promised he would never leave her alone."

"I've tried to keep that promise," Indigo broke in, staring at her intently. Riza smiled half heartedly at him, and continued.

"The girl met a monster, and the monster fascinated her. She was drunk on his words, and didn't even notice that it was turning her into a monster too. And then it was too late, and she realized what she had become. She was too cowardly to turn herself in, to go back to the man who made her like this, even when he threatened to kill her people. She was a useless monster, and so very alone. The end."

"Not the end," Indigo growled. "The girl was brave. She stood her ground despite the threats, even though it hurt her to do so. She just wanted to violence to stop, and she would do anything to restore peace. The monster wanted her, but she would not go, because she knew she would be playing right into his plans. The girl was smart, and strong, and though she was changed, she was still good. Still a good person, like she'd always been."

"Do you really think that?" Riza asked quietly, like a lost child.

He nodded, smiling at her ruefully. "And then there was that idiot boy, who wasn't smart enough to stay out of her way when she had the chance to destroy Doctor Camellia. He got caught like a pansy, by a _girl_, and didn't contribute anything."

"Dumb boy," Riza agreed, her eyes dancing. She laughed softly, and looked so surprised at the sound her eyes went round.

"I went to the lab, after you," Indigo admitted. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to keep talking, despite all his instincts screaming at him. "I saw. And I met him there."

"He was _there_?" Riza asked, her eyes still round. "He didn't…hurt you, did he?"

Indigo shook his head. "He gave me a choice. Keep his secret, or he would stop treating you immediately."

"You lied to me," Riza accused, narrowing her eyes. Indigo backed up hurriedly.

"No, I…ok, yes, but I don't you think that's a good reason?"

She thought about it for a moment before breathing out in a huff. "Fine. Next time keep me in the loop. I don't like being kept out of things."

"Deal," Indigo said, rolling his eyes. So very Riza. "But princess…that wasn't all he wanted."

She was silent, waiting, but he could see her putting it together in her head. She gasped just before he started talking. "He wanted me. I was a glorified errand boy, except my missions were…I hated it. Every second of it. It felt like a part of me was dying every time I put that grey cloak on, but I couldn't stop. I couldn't give him an excuse to kill you."

"Wait, wait," Riza protested, stopping him there. "You did that for me?"

"Yeah," Indigo said, smiling half heartedly. He fell to the floor as a pillow smacked his face.

He looked up at her, stunned, and she was glaring at him fiercely. "You idiot!" she complained. "I never asked for that! I would have rather died than let him do that to you! Idiot, _idiot_!"

"I know that," Indigo growled, dodging more pillows. Just how many did she have? "That's why I did it! You aren't allowed to die on me! No martyrs allowed!"

She was out of pillows. Indigo grinned victoriously, and her eyes narrowed at him. Then the pillows started rising off the floor on their own, smacking him upside the head. Indigo cringed, grabbing an errant pillow as a shield as their kin battered him mercilessly. "I give up!" Indigo complained, although he couldn't help grinning. "Mercy, princess!"

The pillows hesitated, turning to Riza, and she rolled her eyes, smiling hugely. The pillows fell back to the ground, and Indigo grinned victoriously. He threw his pillow at her head with all the strength in his arms.

It would have been brilliant, if it hadn't stopped in midair inches from her, and ricocheted back to smack him square in the face.

She put her hands over her mouth to try and hold back her slightly hysterical laughter. He glared as he pulled himself off the floor. "You little cheater," he growled. "That violates every rule of pillow fighting ever invented!"

"There are no rules in war," Riza retorted, grinning. "Oh, look, this power is good for something after all!"

"More like an abuse of power," Indigo grumbled, though he was still grinning. The pillows turned as though watching him carefully as he stood. He ignored them. "Am I still in trouble?"

"Always," Riza affirmed. "Both of us have done stupid things. I won't…you aren't in trouble, as long as you don't do it again. Lying to me, I mean."

"Deal," Indigo said, relieved beyond words. He stopped, as something else occurred to him. "Er…there's one more thing…"

She glared at him distrustfully. "Indigo, what did you do?"

He cringed, and the Volcanofur was warm in his shirt pocket. No getting around this one. "I didn't know, until Mayanna told me," he started, and then it was his turn to look at the ground.

And he told her. About how he was the cause of Entei's rampage. How he had summoned Entei to the castle that day. How his nightmares, his turbulent emotions, had set off the legendary he was irrevocably linked to.

He did not mention Layla's diary. He couldn't. It would break her heart to know what a monster her father was. He wouldn't do that to her.

"Can't you just get rid of it?" Riza asked, her forehead scrunching up. "Throw it off a cliff, bury it…"

"I can't," Indigo said, the very thought making a stab of fear shoot through him. "I tried, before I came here. I set it down, and walked away. It felt like it would kill me, every step I took away. It's a part of me now, and I can't just throw it away."

She moved to the edge of her bed, throwing her legs over the edge. She patted the seat next to her. "Sit," she commanded, her eyes serious. He obeyed, a little warily, and she put her hands on either side of his face. "Do you trust me, Indigo?"

"Yes," he responded immediately. "…unless you get a hold of a bucket of water. Or a pillow," he amended. Riza rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm going to teach you some simple meditation techniques," Riza explained, her violet eyes solemn. "Indigo, we've both gone through some tough things lately. And alone, I don't think we could get through this. But we have each other, right? I'll help you with your nightmares, and teach you to control your emotions. Entei won't act without your permission again."

"And I'll remind you who you are," Indigo said quietly, meeting her eyes. "I'll keep you sane, and above all human. I love you, my ninja princess."

Riza groaned. "Oh, you did not just say that! Gah, it makes my head hurt!"

Indigo grinned at her. "I thought you liked cheesy!"

"In controlled quantities," Riza corrected. "That was just bad."

Indigo rolled his eyes at her, and put on his best perfectly serious student face. She laughed despite herself, and slipped her eyes closed.

"Your mind is like a jumble of emotions and thoughts. To maintain a calm emotional state, you have to put things in order. Think of it as cleaning a room, putting everything in its proper place, so you can think more clearly…"

~o~

The rumors started barely a month after Doctor Camellia's disappearance.

"-say that the Princess isn't human-"

"-the King authorized it, trying to gain-"

"-must be because of Layla's curse. He's trying to get around the-"

"-killed them in their sleep! But the boy, the prince, he surviv-"

"-can't be true, can it? There's no proof!"

The still days were the worst, Indigo realized after a time. The calm before the storm dragged on and on, building the tension that fed the growing fire. He couldn't stop the dread that hung over the kingdom like a cloud, as the discontent in the land rumbled and grew day by day.

When it finally burst, there would be hell to pay.

Riza's eyes were quietly defiant when he entered, her long hair pulled back. A deep bruise pooled over her cheekbone. "How many," she demanded, her eyes daring him to comment.

Indigo hissed, reaching out a hand to touch the wound, his finger brushing stray strands of hair out of her face. She pushed his hand away impatiently. "Indigo, _how many_?" she repeated, the look in her eyes a little frightening.

He would get nothing out of her until he answered. "Twenty two," he reported grimly, trying to hold back a sigh. "Burned to death. No one knows what happened for sure, but Entei is being blamed."

"You haven't…?"

"No," he answered. "No nightmares, no turbulent emotions. Nothing that would set Entei off. If it _was_ Entei, without my…direction…"

"No," Riza said stubbornly. "It was him. I know it. Indigo, it was _him_, and he's not going to stop!"

"Riza…" Indigo sighed, sitting next to her on her brothers bed. He was dead asleep, as he had been for days. Without Doctor Camellia, his condition had worsened. Riza had not left his side. Her own illness seemed to have disappeared entirely after their last encounter with Doctor Camellia.

"We've had this conversation before. It you go to him, he will do worse than kill people. There's nothing we can do for them."

"But if I just talk to him, maybe-"

"Enough," Indigo said, holding up a hand. They had had this exact argument every day for a month now. Her resolve to stay away was weakening day by day, as more people died of mysterious burnings. All of them were criminals, or suspected criminals…but he hadn't told her that part. "What happened?"

"I didn't move fast enough," Riza admitted. "Maya caught me across the face with a roundhouse. She's _fast_. I can barely keep up on a good day, and on a _bad_ day…"

"You're plenty fast," Indigo said, unable to stop his grin. "I fell in love with a ninja. If I had any fighting skills, it might hurt my pride as a man."

Riza laughed quietly, leaning into his shoulder. "_That_," she murmured, "-is a very big if."

Indigo growled playfully, reaching around to tickle her sides. Riza jumped, batting his hands away with a smile that barely contained her laughs. She looked pointedly at Terin, still sleeping soundly, and Indigo retreated, opting instead to hold her closer. She sighed happily, snuggling closer.

But her happiness couldn't last long.

"Indigo?" she asked in a small voice. "Is it…my fault?"

"Of course not," Indigo reassured her automatically. "Blame the doctor. He's the one who started this whole mess."

"Leaving Maya behind like that…" Riza sighed, her forehead creasing. "It's so cruel. She lives for him. Even now, she still believes that he cares for her. I train with her for myself, too, but it's mostly to keep her mind off him leaving."

"What about the Captain? Isn't she helping you out too?" Indigo asked. He supported the extra combat training wholeheartedly. Anything to better prepare her for emergencies.

"On call," Riza admitted. "She told me to tell you to practice for once. Your swordsmanship is a disgrace to mankind."

"Her words exactly?" Indigo questioned, raising an eyebrow menacingly.

"Her words were _meaner_," Riza laughed. "You really suck."

"I can't fight to my full extent against a girl," Indigo said with exaggerated pomp. "That's my story and I'm sticking to it." Indigo could practically hear her roll her eyes at him.

Terin shifted in his sleep, breaking into a cold sweat as his eyes darted around beneath his lids. Another nightmare. Riza sat up, watching him intently until his spasms subsided. Her eyes were so very dark. He hated seeing her like this.

"I'll sit with him a while longer," the beautiful girl said quietly, her violet eyes never leaving her brother. "You go eat something. I'm…I'm not hungry."

She wanted to be alone. Indigo stood silently, regarding her. "You'll eat later?" he checked, raising an eyebrow.

"Y-yeah!" Riza promised, her voice too bright. "No problem! Don't worry about me, I'll just be a little while."

"Sure," Indigo said, smiling tiredly. She wouldn't leave until nightfall at least. "Later then."

"Indigo?" Riza said. He turned to look at her from the doorway. She stared at him as though pressing his features into her memory.

"I love you," she said quietly. "Never forget that, okay?"

Indigo's eyes softened. "Promise," he replied. "We'll work this out, somehow. Just wait a while longer."

Riza looked down at her brother, his face ashen. "Yeah," she whispered. "Somehow."

~o~

Indigo couldn't help but think that the events of the next day tipped to odds in Camellia's favor.

"Indigo!" Riza sang, her violet eyes fever bright. She nearly ran into him she was moving so fast. "Indigo, come see! Terin, he woke up!"

That certainly caught his attention. He broke into a wide, relieved grin. Not that she saw; she was far too excited for that as she dragged him down the hall.

"He started showing signs of waking about ten minutes ago, and he finally opened his eyes! Maya is with him, she just needs to check his blood levels or something, and Joyce is in the castle, cause she was showing me how to seal wounds on Grass type Pokemon, well, _telling _is more like it, she's still pretty bad at application in the medical field, which is why she isn't a doctor like her mom, and she really wants to meet my brother, because she loves kids so much, and-"

Indigo just smiled as she continued talking excitedly, not even looking for his reactions. He wasn't surprised that Joyce was here. The pink haired girl was really only about five years older than the two of them, but seemed older because of her marriage, child, and young widowing. Riza looked up to her like a sister.

"-and Mom and Dad are going to visit later, when they get home. Come on, we're here, Indigo!" Riza sang, throwing open the door. The both fell silent as they entered the room, so as not to disturb the newly awakened boy. Indigo moved closer curiously, wanting to see the young prince for himself. He hadn't seen much of him, except when he had been sleeping.

He'd been unconscious for six weeks. Ever since the Doctor left.

"Princess," Mayanna intoned, curtsying deep. She turned her head towards the bed, where the Riza's younger brother was sitting. His brown hair was mussed, his skin pale except for the bright flush on both cheeks. He didn't seem to see them in the room.

"He's been reacting well to stimuli," the chestnut haired maid reported tonelessly, looking at her young patient. "His pupils are dilating normally, and his reaction time is improving. His muscles have atrophied slightly from the amount of time he's been unconscious, but it is nothing life threatening or non reversible with proper rehabilitation. Physically, he is doing as well as could be hoped."

"Hey there, boo," Riza said softly, looking into her brothers eyes. "Nice to see you awake! Did you have nice dreams?"

"Nice…" Terin repeated, his eyes not focusing on Riza. "Dreams are nice."

"Yes, Terin, dreams are nice," Riza said seriously, although her eyes danced with relieved light. She was clearly in high spirits now that he was awake. "Do you like dreams? I bet it's nice to be awake though, isn't it, boo?"

"Nice," Terin repeated a little firmer, his eyes still glazed. "Dreams are nice!"

A small crease appeared on the smooth skin of her forehead. "Terin, can you look at me?" she asked suddenly, a small note of worry finally entering her voice. "Can you look at sissy?"

He did, swinging his head like it didn't belong to him, his fevered eyes locking on her violet ones. He grinned as though he had a secret he wasn't supposed to tell. "Don't have a sissy," he reported. "Dreams are nice! Nice, nice, taste good, dreams are nice for breakfast time!"

"Terin?" Riza questioned, finally looking properly scared. "Are you okay? Do you know who I am?"

"Who are you? Who am I?" the young prince sang, sudden energy gripping him at this pronouncement. "I am! I am! I _am_, and so I will be!" he cackled as though this was a wonderful joke, acting like a child half his age as he clutched his stomach, giggling with glee.

"What's happened to him?" Indigo broke in with abject astonishment, when Riza didn't speak, stunned beyond words.

"Induced amnesia, in a way," Mayanna sighed. "It seems as though my lord still didn't get the correct measurement. Pity. He was so sure this time."

"Sure of _what_?" Riza said dangerously, standing to her full height as Terin's cackles became vaguely maniacal. "Tell me what he did to Terin!"

Mayanna held her gaze coldly, her silence dragging on as Riza glared at her furiously. "The Pokemon experiment," she said plainly. "Your brother is an unfortunate casualty."

"But-" Riza choked on her fury. "He was only under Doctor Camellia's care for _four days!_ He can't have-!"

"He did," the maid said, matter of factly. "Psychic DNA has always defeated him. It's unstable, difficult to work with. It seems that true Psychic ability really can only be manifested at birth, not given at a later stage in life. My lord didn't dare use it with you, the centerpiece in his plans. But the boy…" she shrugged.

Riza was shaking with equal parts fury and grief, as Terin collapsed to the bed, drooling slightly. "So what," she whispered. "He stays like this forever? A vegetable?"

"He has no memories to work with anymore," Mayanna explained. "The only things he knows are the dreams of the past six weeks. Psychic power is all about mental strength. Introducing a catalyst which was designed to instantly raise mental ability to a near godly level destroyed his weaker mind instead. He has regressed, now that his synapses have been burned, and as such, has less real psychic power than a normal human being."

"And you knew this could happen?" Riza demanded, her voice rising. "The whole time?"

"I acknowledged it as a possibility," Mayanna admitted, looking down. "But I wanted to believe he had finally perfected the technique. It is unfortunate that this happened to the young prince." Her eyes went strangely sad as she looked at Terin, sound asleep in a ball, his thumb in his mouth. "Dreams are all he has now."

"Riza," Indigo started hesitantly, completely thrown for words. There was nothing he could say. She had finally been given hope, a distraction from the threat of war hanging over their heads, and now it was gone. More than gone, it was a _reminder_ of the man Indigo had hoped she would forget about for a time when her brother woke.

Riza fell to her knees, finally giving in to the massive burden she had been living with for the past six weeks. This was the final blow that felled a kunoichi. "Is there any hope?" she said nearly inaudibly, her eyes on her baby brother. "Can he be cured?"

Mayanna's face was devoid of anything when she spoke. "I lack the knowledge," she said finally. "But Doctor Camellia could probably help him. He would never be the same, but he might regain his ability to live a normal life. Without you. He can never regain the memories."

"Leave," Riza ordered, not looking up. "Get out, now."

Mayanna's brown eyes went a little wider. "As you wish, my princess," she said hesitantly, leaving the room. She shut the door behind her with a click.

"You too, Indigo. Get out."

He stared at her, surprised. "I'm not going anywhere, Princess."

She raised her head then, glaring at him with fury. "Get out!" she shouted, her eyes bright. Indigo made an impatient noise in the back of his throat, kneeling down as he wrapped his arms around her.

She cried, beating his back with her fists as she ordered him to leave, to let go, to let her be alone, until she broke off, sobbing helplessly. He held her as she cried, rocking back and forth, making soothing noises. He didn't tell her it would be okay. He knew it wouldn't be, and all he had to give was a hug.

"Nice," Terin sighed happily in his sleep, dreams filling his mind that did not belong to him. "Dreams are so nice."

~o~

It was the next morning that Indigo found out she was gone. He read the letter, the doctors challenge, and he knew what he had to do.

He would go. He would stop the madman before he killed the one thing Indigo loved more than anything, and he would save Karraket town. He would succeed, because he had to.

She had left without saying anything to him. Indigo's heart twisted as the pain of that betrayal tore through him. She hadn't trusted him enough to confide in him. She had simply left, playing right into Doctor Camellia's hands.

If she died, he would never forgive her for it.

Indigo's grey cloak swirled around his ankles as he strode grimly through the ancient stone walls of the castle, lined with fire scars that could still faintly be seen. His belt was bare. His Pokemon remained behind. If he brought them it could mean her death then and there, before he ever had the chance to save her.

But there was one weapon he could bring.

Indigo entered the throne room, one wall shattered and stained black with soot. Ashes hung loosely in the air of the ruined chamber, dusting the floor and walls, over partially consumed tapestries and stained glass windows. A half melted chandelier hung forlornly from the ceiling, crooked and discolored.

The room destroyed by Entei, on the night Doctor Camellia had revealed his plan. The room Entei had fought the Captain of the Reverse Guard claw to sword, and been driven off.

The Volcanofur burned into his palm as he slipped it out of his pocket.

The doctor had instructed him to abandon his partners, and bring his Volcanofur. He wanted Indigo to bring Entei to him, and Indigo was going to give him exactly that. He could not think of a better way to end this once and for all. He would control Entei, and destroy Doctor Camellia, ending this.

Indigo took a deep breath, steadying himself in a familiar meditation exercise. The last time he had directly summoned Entei, Riza had been in danger. She had nearly died, in front of his eyes, and his emotions had been like a beacon to the legendary.

_Please_, Indigo thought, releasing his meditation. _Let this work_.

_Betrayal. Pain. Anger. Jealousy. Love._

Indigo flinched slightly as he released the tight control he had had over his emotions for the past month, letting everything flow through him, hot and strong, until it burned out. _Betrayal._ He had lied to her. He had broken his promises and betrayed everything they had. He had sold his soul and changed his being, until he was something she no longer understood.

Indigo closed his eyes, his breath ragged. _Pain_. The way she looked at him after his lies were revealed. So disbelieving those eyes, so wide and childlike.

Anger. The thought of the doctor, and what he had done. Anger burned quietly within him at the thought. What might they have had, in a fair world? How simple things would have been, if the monster had never bared his fangs!

Jealousy. The way she had looked at Doctor Camellia before his betrayal. Like they had a bond, acknowledged by neither, but there all the same. Like she trusted him in ways she hadn't shared with Indigo. Like they had a secret.

Indigo took another breath, feeling surprisingly light, despite the pain.

Love.

The wry twist of her smile, the laughter in her eyes, the way she would grin at him, her strength, determination, and kindness, her tender personality, that fearless laugh she gave when confronted by something terrifying…

The way she walked, as though to a tune only she could hear. The way her face screwed up when she saw a plum, or was dared to eat one. The glint in her eyes when she was angry. The coolness of her voice while on official business. The way her hair fell down her back in waves. The light of her expressive violet eyes, that he never, never got tired of looking at…

Tears streaked his face. He didn't remember them falling. _Desperation_.

He couldn't lose her. She was the better half of him, the light of his life, the beautiful girl with no taste in men. How could he just live on, if she died? The thought of a world without her smile was bleak and grey, streaked with black and white.

"_Entei_," Indigo thought harshly, gripping the Volcanofur in his fist tightly. "_I know you can hear me. I know you can save her. Come to me."_

The monster had kidnapped his princess. But Indigo would not let it end like that. He would save her, and defeat him. He would end this story once and for all, with his own hands.

Hatred.

So very similar to love, this emotion. It burned through him with the intensity of an inferno, filling his soul with quiet strength and righteous anger. More tears fell, but this time with a very different source. He was going to kill him. For hurting her, for scaring her, for threatening her…

No one in the world could get away with that!

"_Come!_" Indigo shouted out loud, pouring everything into the Volcanofur in his outstretched fist. It pulsed in his hand like a heart. Then again, and again, faster and faster, the heat rising so high he could barely withstand the pain of his skin. Fire blasted through _him_, giddy and terrifying, lighting his senses up like a match, and for the first time Indigo realized just how dangerous the fur was.

It felt like it would consume him.

The emotions he had summoned were scorched away with the fire, and Indigo collapsed to his hands and knees, drained of everything. His palm burned with the wounds it had taken, but the Volcanofur was cold.

He breathed in and out raggedly, unable to think, or feel anything.

He froze as he heard another being, breathing in and out slowly. Indigo raised his head, and Entei was there.

It was huge, as though it had grown a foot since he had seen it last. Mahogany fur hung over the legendaries powerfully built body. Its mane moved like something alive, identical to a trail of smoke. Jagged grey spikes jutted from its sides and face, like stone or metal. A three pointed golden crest adorned its head like a crown.

Crimson eyes regarded him without feeling. They followed him up as he stood, bracing himself first on one hand. He moved slowly, as though it would disappear if he made the wrong move. Indigo stared.

Beautiful, regal, and powerful. The legendary exuded strength. He dared to control it? To try and bend it to his will?

For her, he would do anything.

Indigo raised his hand slowly, daring the legendary to trust him. It watched his hand rise.

Indigo let the breath he had been holding out as his hand hovered a bare half inch over the Entei's nose. It leaned in, closing the distance, and finally closed its eyes.

Adrenaline spiked through his blood as Indigo realized he had been given permission. This creature he subconsciously controlled was bending to his will, and fulfilling his unspoken wish.

He could use this power. He could save Riza and all of Halleden. He didn't need his Pokemon.

"_Wonderful_," a deep voice breathed behind him. "Absolutely wonderful!"

Indigo spun, the moment breaking with his contact with the beast. King Johann Calariam stood at the doorway, his eyes crazed with giddiness. He was not looking at Indigo.

"You've actually done it! You've beaten Entei into submission! With that power, the curse can finally be broken! Layla's ghost will writhe in pain," the King grinned, the look so out of place Indigo took an involuntary step back. "My armies will rise, and Doctor Camellia will bow before me. Well done, Indigo."

Indigo flinched. "Y-your majesty, Entei is dangerous. The fur is dangerous. I can't."

The old mans smile faded. "Are you disobeying a direct order, boy?" he hissed, his icy eyes narrowing. "I've waited _years_ to be free of this curse. You refuse to use Entei to break it?"

"I don't know _how_," Indigo argued, fighting back all emotions. He couldn't afford to lose control. It was hard, after he had let it go so completely just moments ago. "The curse was vague, and I don't want to risk-"

"Rubbish!" the King shouted. "You plot against me to, don't you? You want to steal my throne and conquer the lands West by yourself, don't you? That's why you've been hanging around that useless tramp!"

Indigo hissed, his eyes narrowing. "She is your _daughter_," he bit out coldly, his anger growing. Entei extended its claws into the stone and retracted them, growling low.

"She is a monster," the King retorted, his eyes cold. "That thing isn't fit to live. It has been corrupted by the false Doctor Camellia, corrupted by Layla's ghost!"

"You don't know what you're saying!" Indigo shouted. "She's still _Riza_. I don't care about the ghosts, because underneath that it's still her inside! How can you _say_ that? Don't you love her?"

"That child was always trouble. She's nothing like Analynn and I. In fact," the King said grimly, "-she takes after Layla more than either of us! I've never liked her, even as a girl. She is nothing to me, the most powerful man in the kingdom!"

Indigo's disgust for the man grew with every word. How on earth had Riza come from a cruel man like this? How had she lived, with _this _as her father?

"Oh," the King said, his eyes glittering. "I understand now. You believe she _loves_ you, don't you? That's why you defend her so?"

"Don't," Indigo bit out, fighting the rush of fury that threatened to overthrow him. The Entei behind him snarled, echoing his heart. The temperature around them raised by a few degrees.

"She isn't capable of love, you idiotic child. She's a creature, turned by the doctor and devoid of emotions. She is not fit to be my daughter. She seeks to overthrow me, just like Layla, and like you. I haven't been fooled. I've seen every _conspiracy_, every spark of rebellion, _everything_, and I won't let a conniving, pathetic, whining little _slut_ stop me!"

"Shut up!" Indigo howled, holding his head. The fire raced through him, burning his reason to ashes. He needed him to stop, before the fire destroyed him. How could he though, when he would not stop spewing poison?

Anything, Indigo thought desperately. _Anything_ to get the paranoid, crazed man from speaking!

Entei reared onto its hind legs behind Indigo, crimson fire spilling from its jaws. Indigo realized what was happening a second too late.

"Yes!" the King shouted. "The fires of Entei will cleanse the curse! Yes, _yes!_" And then the King was screaming as his entire body was engulfed in blood red flames, spewing from Entei's gaping jaws.

When had this madness grown in the king? Or had it been there the whole time, taking root in his every thought, fed by his fear of Layla?

"_No_!" Indigo shouted, fighting back the rush of emotions, trying to regain his calm, _anything_. He ran to the king, but was forced back by the heat of the fire, so hot it singed his face from yards away as it melted the Kings skin and bones. The screams were terrible. Indigo backed away from the flailing figure, horrified as the stench of roasting meat washed over him.

No. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. He was the _hero_, not the monster, he had never meant to-

It was in that moment that Indigo saw beautiful Queen Analynn in the doorway, ashen faced and wide eyed. She had seen everything.

Analynn should not be here. She had nothing to do with the kings evil, she was just a victim. She was Layla's friend, and Riza's mother, and she _couldn't be here_. She couldn't see what he had done!

Entei reacted to his thoughts in an instant, bounding across the room towards the doorway, fangs bared under dead eyes as it obeyed its masters whim. She broke free of her stupor and ran, her blue eyes full of grief and terror.

A flash of red burst from around the corner, and a tearing snap. Entei reappeared, a scrap of her white dress caught on its claws, stained with soot and blood. It walked towards him slowly, stopping a bare five feet in front of where he stood, petrified with horror.

Doctor Camellia had called the fur the most dangerous item in Halleden.

Now Indigo knew why.

He collapsed to his knees and threw up violently. He wretched until there was nothing left in his stomach, and then some more. Silence reigned, except for his heavy breathing and the fire that burned over the corpse of the king. The screams had stopped, but they still rang in his ears, terrible and piercing. He would never _not_ hear them again.

He had been so _sure_ of himself, so sure of his ability to save her and everyone. He had played with forces beyond his control. He had murdered the parents of the girl he loved. Forget his intentions, he had _done_ it.

How could he continue now? Nausea threatened him again, and Indigo fought down gags. The stench was unbearable. He couldn't breath, couldn't think. Despite the heat in the room, Indigo broke into violent shivers that threatened to unmake him.

Entei watched him the entire time, with cold red eyes that burned with firelight.

He had to get to Karraket. Riza. She was in danger. Indigo fought the weakness in his arms, forcing his body to its knees, and then its feet, shaking the entire time. He still had a job to do. He didn't have _time_ to feel sorry for himself!

Riza. Indigo froze a step away from the Entei. If he didn't control his emotions perfectly…

He might end up killing her himself.

The shadows in the broken shell of a room lengthened. Indigo cursed his stupidity. He didn't have time to make it to Karraket on his own. He had to use Entei, or he would never reach her in time.

Sometimes Indigo felt like the world conspired against him.

_Well_, he thought grimly, grabbing a fistful of Entei's fur, _I'll just have to be perfect then_. _No mistakes. Never again_.

He did not see Mayanna, her dead brown eyes watching him as he swung his leg over Entei's back. Did not see when she pulled a rust red poke ball from the pocket of her uniform and released a Fearow taller than most men.

Entei bounded out of the room in great leaps, running from the sun, Indigo astride its back, forcing his emotions down until they died. He would never fail again. It was simply not an option.

~o~

**A/N **So much to fit in just one chapter. Since there was some confusion, let me clear one thing up. Indigo's story is ending. The past story will catch up to the first chapter next time, and AFTER that, I'll continue with Indigo breaking his curse. So one chapter left of Indigo, and then more with Violet.

Anyways. Ow. My head hurts. DX Drop me a review to let me know what you think. K-tori out. :D


	21. The End of the Beginning

**DISCLAIMER: I wish I owned Pokemon. That would be nice. But I don't, and so here I am. *sighs***

**And finally, to finish it.**

**~o~**

It was the end of the beginning. What started as peace would finish with fire and blood, brought about by the hatred that comes from scorn, from a single wronged soul. Everything would turn to ashes as the world was forced to face its sins.

Doctor Camellia smiled, his hands in his pockets as he stepped up to the stage. It was plain, a humble wooden rise set in the middle of the massive town square. It was such a simple stand; not the type of thing that usually witnessed such a world changing event. But then, from humble beginnings came powerful spirits. It was fitting, in a way.

A crowd had already started to gather. He raised his head, looking out at the people assembled there. An elderly woman, an overweight merchant, a butcher, a seamstress. A child clutched his mothers skirts, peering timidly at the spectacle. This town had seen horrors in the past, yet it always seemed to move on. To rebuild, and forget. They made it look so easy, forgetting.

He would make them pay for their forgetting.

The raven haired man looked to the clouds. It was nearly sunset. Almost time to begin. He was alone, a feeling he had come to accept over the past few weeks. He wished halfheartedly that Mayanna had been able to come. But no, her place was at the palace right now, feeding him information, and keeping an eye on the boy. She would be here later.

He smiled, breathing in the heat of the air from his place mid-stage. So long he had waited for this day. The last time he had set foot in this town was the day the Scorned fell apart for good. He remembered it clearly, despite his age at the time.

The day the people of this town had nearly killed him. They would have, if Kylara had not stopped them.

"_Stop that! He's just a child!"_

Oh Kylara, his brave older sister. Only she would have had the courage to stand up for him in the midst of the sudden hatred the townsfolk rained on them. Without the protection of the Scorned, and with the sudden loyalty the people felt for their cruel, powerful king, it was a very bad time to be the heir.

" _We'll all be in trouble if those two are found here. We have no choice but to kill them both!"_

He clenched his fist. Such senseless cruelty. Fear drove normal people to horrors. Fear was the real cause of crime, not hate. Fear and greed. But they were not killed, stoned as the townsfolk suggested. Instead the would-be murderers had been given another way out.

"_Give me the children. I have use for unwanted bodies."_

That smile, under glinting glasses that never seemed to show the eyes beneath. He had never known what a real monster looked like until that day. He hadn't known pain until the Pokemon experiment.

He had never known grief until the day his sister died, screaming in agony from the experimental drug.

Doctor Camellia, the name of the man who destroyed a child more completely than any blade. The name of the first man he had killed.

As such, wasn't it fitting that he take that name for himself? The king trusted 'Doctor Camellia', his own agent during the rebellion. But the two had never met face to face, due to the true doctors paranoia, making it the perfect identity to steal, in order to exact his revenge.

Bringing them to this day. He raised one pale hand into the air as the sun finally touched the far horizon. The murmurs of the crowd slowed, until all was silent. He waited.

"Friends," he started, rather ironically he thought, "I come here today to show you something you have never before imagined. A monster, created by the false king, and several beings who were born monstrous. I will challenge your perceptions, and expose the tyrant for what he is."

His voice rang clear and true throughout the growing crowd. Murmurs broke out at his words. He waited until they were silent once again. He stepped back, and several people in the crowd shrieked as a winged form swooped low over them, nearly touching their heads. Charizard landed heavily on the stage, thick plates of leather armor protecting its scaled body. The almost dragon raised its head, cold eyes staring at the crowd of people.

A figure in a simple riding habit swung over Charizards neck, standing tall and defiantly on the stage. Princess Riza Calariam, perhaps the one good thing to come out of the current monarchy, stood proud before her subjects.

Doctor Camellia smiled.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, his voice echoing, "I give you the monster that was created!"

The crowd exploded with indignant shouts. If he waited for them to be silent again, he would likely be faced with violence. The people loved their princess, as well they should. He was counting on that.

He waited, his face impassive as the crowd became uglier by the second.

"How dare you spout such nonsense!" an elderly woman shouted, brandishing her cane. She tried to come up to the stage, to hit him with her purse, probably, when Riza moved.

All she did was raise her arm. The old woman floated in the air, caught by Riza's ghostly power. Her eyes were black as pitch, and strangely sad.

The entire group of nearly two hundred people went as silent as the grave. Riza lowered her arm softly, setting the stunned woman back on the ground. She stepped forward to the edge of the stage.

"My people," she began, her beautiful voice ringing. "This man is telling the truth. I…I am not fit to be your Princess. I've been changed, altered with Pokemon DNA. My parents gave the order."

Silence reigned. Doctor Camellia sat back on his heels, enjoying the show. She was quiet the speaker. She should have gone into show business.

And more importantly, she was going to try and expose him. He had instructed her to lie, but he had seen from the set of her jaw that she would not. He had implied that lying would get people killed, and so she had no choice, not really. Silly, gullible princess, she was playing right into his hands. The truth, as she saw it, suited him nicely.

"But it wasn't their intention to make me like this," Riza continued, casting a defiant look at the man behind her. "They were just trying to break the curse placed on my family years ago. They had nothing but concern for me! The real monster, the one who really did this to me, is the man standing right there!"

He smiled, as the group of people shouted, suddenly, for his blood. "And who am I to have the knowledge to work such horrors?" he challenged, casting his eyes to the crowd. "Am I a god? Or am I a demon? Tell me princess, who will the people choose once they know the truth? Think of your dear brother, and answer wisely."

He saw the hesitation in her eyes, the chink in her iron armor. It was simple. She had a clear and legal choice. Which name would she use? If she chose his true name, the name he had entrusted her with, he would not only be in a position to gain the support of the people if they rallied behind his lineage, he would also have the perfect excuse to destroy this place if they didn't. She could lose everything if she used that name, the true name. Her brother, her family, and of course, the boy.

That threat, for the life of the boy, had been the one thing that had convinced her to join him today. He really had to stop _owing_ the boy for simply existing. He had proven to be not only useful, but vital in his manipulations. But he digressed.

If she chose his _other_ name, the name he stole by blood…

"He is Doctor Camellia," Riza said finally, looking back at the crowd. "And he is no god. He is a man, and a monster!"

"The Princess tells partial truth," Doctor Camellia broke in smoothly, stepping forward. His dark hair hung nearly to his eyes. "I am the doctor. I expect you have all heard of me. I was ordered by the king, specifically, to make his daughter into a weapon. He wanted to restore his families power, and break the curse. He wanted nothing more than to start a war with the west."

He was playing the crowd like an instrument. He stepped forward to the edge of the stage, right next to the princess. She flinched, but he continued on smoothly. "But did our righteous king dare try these experiments on himself? No, not _our_ king. He used his own blood, his own _children_ as test subjects in his place!"

The crowd was roaring now, but the princess shouted all the same, trying to be heard. "_No_, none of that is true-"

"How do we know you're really him?" one voice shouted above the rest. The group had doubled since they had started this charade. Most of the cursed town was present.

"I've kept myself young with my power," he explained simply. Idiotic excuse of course, but the superstitious fools would buy it in a heartbeat. 'His' reputation would do most of the work for him.

"Liar!"

And so, everything fell into place.

The speaker was a girl, barely thirteen. She was shaking with anger. "You're a liar!" she shrieked, her eyes bright. "My father knew Doctor Camellia, an' you're not him!"

"Yeah, I knew him too!"

"You're making it all up!"

"You claim to have seen him?" Doctor Camellia cut in sharply. He stared through the crowd. Eighteen people held his gaze defiantly, and sealed their fates by raising their hands. He smiled softly, looking down. "To all the honest people in the audience, I give you the monsters by birth. Bring them to me. All of them."

"Why should they?" Riza demanded, turning on him. "Why should anyone listen to anything you have to say?"

"Those who know Doctor Camellia by _face_ can only be one thing," he explained calmly. "Customers. I would know, as I was sold to him years ago. These people, if they can be called that, are the true monsters here. Our king is a monster as well. As everyone here knows. Except you, my princess."

"That's a _lie!_" Riza shrieked, her hair rising around her face in a ghostly halo of power. Her eyes bled black, and their audience broke out into whispers of fear, panic overtaking them.

Could it really be so easy? Could he really have everything, so easily?

Riza scared them. And so, they could not trust her. He would give them something to trust.

He looked up, rising to his full height. His power radiated from his core, and all who saw knew it for what it was. "I am not the famed physician, as those who truly knew him have confirmed. My name is Tero of the Burning Shadows, and I am the heir by blood." He had to speak over the crowd, now. "This girl was your princess once, but is now nothing but a monster. You have your king to thank for that! I am the rightful ruler of this land, and I will take it for my own! These people, those who knew Doctor Camellia by face, they are the ones responsible for the exile of myself and my sister, the merciful princess, Kylara!"

The crowd was roaring now, and he stood tall, as Riza gaped beside him. They were chanting for blood now, but not his.

"_Death to the false king!_" they shouted. "_Death to the monster princess!"_

"Fame is fleeting, is it not?" he murmured for her ears alone, barely audible over the roar of the enraged crowd. The eighteen were dragged, struggling, to the stage. The girl who had spoken first looked stricken with horror from the middle of the crowd.

"Will you let this insult stand?" Doctor Camellia challenged, fire in his eyes. "Will you let these born monsters breathe our air another instant? I am Tero, your true king! I order you to punish these men for their sins!"

Riza was gasping for air. He didn't blame her, really, the air already smelled strongly of blood. He breathed it in deeply, enjoying the taste of revenge.

The trick had been the only way to expose those who had exiled him, and his sister, all those years ago. If it had not worked, he would have been forced to simply destroy the entire town. Now Kylara was avenged, in part.

The only thing left was the king. He wouldn't kill him. No, he would make the man suffer as they suffered, for all those years. Death would be a mercy compared to what he had planned.

And if everything went according to plan, he would get to burn the city anyways. It wasn't exactly necessary, but he would certainly feel better. Nothing good came out of Karraket.

Such a gullible, fleeting people. Fear ruled them. And right now, after hearing of their kings disregard for his own children, his ambitions of war, they wanted change. He was giving them freedom from the tyrant on a silver platter, and as he had expected, they had grabbed for it. If he showed weakness, they would turn on him as quickly as they had turned on the Scorned. They supported the strongest contender in the game, at least on the surface.

The sun was nearly set. Tero frowned. Indigo should have been here by now. What was keeping him? Didn't he want to save the girl?

"My people!" he addressed. "The princess can no longer be trusted!" She was already on her knees, shaking hard with the sight of blood. He grabbed her blond locks of hair, wrenching them up so everyone could see her face, the black markings of his experiment staining her skin like ink. "She has been corrupted by the kings desire for war! She has been changed, by Doctor Camellia, the man I killed for us all! She is nothing but a mindless monster now, a cunning beast deceiving us! Her true colors have remained hidden from you, but no longer! See the monster princess for what she is!"

It was sad really, what he would have to do to her. He honestly liked the Princess. But if she was not denounced, she might retain a few supporters throughout the land. Even if he killed her…no, _especially_ if he killed her, there would always be those who claimed she was the rightful heir.

But no one would follow a monster.

Her hands were bound quickly, her ankles as well. She was shouting something, but it could not be heard over the roar of the crowd, and Riza wept angrily as she realized the trap she had been placed in. He held the needle to the back of her neck, where none could see but him.

"The final dose," he explained, low. "You didn't get it before, if you'll remember. Do you remember what it will do?"

She shook. She remembered. Her mind would be destroyed, and she would go on a rampage with her new ghostly powers. She would kill, and destroy, and by the time she returned to herself her brain would have been altered beyond repair. Her emotions, dead, her conscience, gone.

The same thing that had happened to Mayanna, years ago. The very thought filled him with quiet anger. He hadn't been fast enough to save her emotions, then. Just her life.

But that was in the past. And today, he had truly won the battle. Karraket was turned, and many other towns would follow. He resembled his father too much for any to deny his bloodline, once they were looking for it. And his strength would do the rest. The king would lose support bit by bit, a slow, painful humiliation, and then there would be death. The perfect revenge.

"Let her go!" a new, furious voice rang out, with all the power of a warrior. People screamed, scattering, as Entei landed on the cobblestones of the town square. Indigo rode the legendary like he was born to do so, filled with righteous anger and blinding power. A gifted warrior, fighting with the iron strength of his fists and heart.

Doctor Camellia smiled as people fled town, faced by the murderous legendary.

The show could finally begin.

~o~

Calm was a word with many different meanings. It was blue and pink and soothing, like rivers over stone. Calm was a state of being that acknowledged the horrors and trials, but moved along all the same, a perfect flow of rational peace.

The second Indigo saw her, bound hand and foot on that stage, his careful calm snapped like a twig and Entei roared flames into the sky.

Well. So much for that. Indigo grimaced, trying to regain his cool. It was difficult. He was not a person built for meditation. It just wasn't something this body could handle for long periods of time, despite his practice the past month. He fought for control, fought against the fire Entei filled his mind with, telling him to burn, to destroy, to _kill_.

Indigo let out a breath. He opened his eyes, and Entei was still beneath him as hundreds of people screamed and fled, faced by the legendary that had been terrorizing the countryside. Doctor Camellia was standing silently, a small smile on his lips.

He held up the needle he had been about to inject her with, and waved it mockingly.

Indigo snarled with fury, and Entei responded in an instant, flaming death towards the man. It missed, hitting the town hall behind the makeshift stage. The building caught fire, highlighting their final confrontation.

"You are looking well, Indigo," Doctor Camellia acknowledged, unfazed by the fire a bare twenty feet behind him. "Your timing could use a little work. I'm glad you made it and…alone, no less."

"Like I need anyone else to take care of you," Indigo growled. "I can defeat you on my own!"

"Defeat me?" the infuriating man repeated incredulously. "With _fire?_ Are you mad, boy?"

"I guess so," Indigo grinned. "You see, I had an idea on the way here. You're trying to take the throne, by denouncing Riza and making her into a monster, right? What would happen if people knew _you_ were a monster too?"

Doctor Camellia's smiled faded, and he regarded him with cold, black eyes. "That would be unwise, Nightwalker," he warned, his voice icy and dangerous. "People could get hurt."

So it _would _ruin his plans. Indigo grinned ferally. With a simple wish to turn, Entei spun to the side, facing the remaining, cowering people. There were few, now that most had fled, but it would only take one to spread a rumor. "Listen, everyone!" Indigo shouted, loud enough that people would be able to hear him. "This man, he isn't what he claims to be! He's a monster too, and I can prove it!"

At his words, Entei roared. A massive flamethrower spun towards the stage without his consent, directly towards Riza.

Doctor Camellia stepped in front of the princess. He cut through the fire with his bare hand, like it was a sword, and the flames parted at his bidding. When the flames died, he was left untouched, a stunned princess behind him.

"You see?" Indigo shouted, despite his sudden surge of collapsing relief. _Too close._. "He's been posing as the real Doctor Camellia, but that man has been dead for years! The one man with the knowledge, the one man still alive who could have done this is standing in front of you!"

"-thirteen, fourteen," Doctor Camellia finished. He opened his eyes, and released two Pokemon. "Typhlosion, kill every witness to those words. Then we can burn this rotten city to the ground."

His Typhlosion was nearly seven feet tall, a hulking fanged monster built with power. A collar of flames ripped into existence, mirroring the burning building behind it. A Cyndaquil next to it tried to copy its mother, bursting its back into flames menacingly.

An elderly man who must have been ninety wheezed for breath as he tried to stumble away, tripping on the cobbled stones. The Typhlosion leapt on him with a snarl, tearing out his throat with a hot gush of blood. The crimson drops steamed when they hit the stones, and painted the Typhlosions fur. The old mans eyes went flat as his body thudded to the ground.

"No!" Indigo shouted with sudden, frantic horror as he realized what the doctor intended. Entei responded in an instant to his words, leaping in front of another witness, a woman with beautiful black hair and violet eyes. The Typhlosion attacked, moving so fast he could barely see it, but it didn't matter, because he could feel Entei's will, his intent to stop the monstrous Pokemon…

He could feel Entei's desire to kill, to taste the blood of his enemies corpses. It was going to kill the Typhlosion.

"No, no more blo-" he gasped, fighting to rein in the fire.

The Typhlosion snaked beneath Entei's legs as it hesitated, held back by Indigo's will. It bit the woman's ankles, dragging her backwards, screaming, under Entei and to the edge of the stage. It deposited her there, bounding after another victim.

Indigo took a breath of relief when he saw she was alive, and choked when Doctor Camellia leapt off the stage and stepped down on her throat, snapping her neck and crushing her windpipe. The woman whose name he never knew gurgled and died in seconds.

He had _never_ seen death like this. Every cell of his body screamed against it. Was this what being strong was about? Using any means necessary to get what you wanted? Was this how the world _was_?

"You brought this on them, Indigo," Doctor Camellia sighed. "Did you think I would accept defeat so easily? Did you think I would just let them go, and spread this rumor to the world? Those who fled already will spread the news of the current kings treachery. And now that there's someone strong enough to face him, to defeat him utterly, the people will rally behind me. Just as they rallied behind Layla and Devin, the sword and shield of the Scorned."

"This isn't _right!_" Indigo howled, his mind an inferno of heat and hate, blood and fire. "No more blood!"

"Right?" Doctor Camellia smiled condescendingly. "This isn't about _right_. This is about necessity. A child like you simply wouldn't understand."

Indigo shouted as something massive hit him off Entei's back. He hit the cobblestones hard, the weight of the Typhlosion crushing the air from his lungs. Entei roared, fighting off a winged assault as Charizard struck it head on. The two fought with fang and claw, but Indigo was too preoccupied to pay much attention.

Typhlosion bared her bloody fangs, snapping towards his exposed throat.

"Stop," Doctor Camellia commanded sharply. Typhlosion pulled back. Blood dripped from her sharpened ivory teeth, sliding down Indigo's face. His breathing was ragged as he stared into the monsters eyes. Its breath was hot on his skin, and smelled like rust and salt. When Doctor Camellia spoke again, his voice was softer. "Do not kill that one. Finish with the others. You already have their scents."

Indigo pulled himself up on one elbow, breathing hard as the Typhlosion bounded away, screams following in its wake. He didn't wipe the blood from his face. "Why?" he demanded, his heart cold.

"Is it a crime to not kill someone?" the raven haired man asked simply. "I prefer to cause as little death as possible. That being said, I certainly don't hesitate to do what needs to be done. I have no reason to kill you, Indigo Nightwalker. Consider it a favor to a woman who once fought in my name."

As he spoke, Indigo's eyes saw movement. Riza was struggling against her bonds on the stage. If he could just give her time, she could escape. Hope flared in his chest. "That isn't my name," he stalled, standing up. "And isn't it about time you told me yours? Who _are_ you?"

"It isn't necessary," the doctor chided. "Does it matter who I am, or what I am called? Actions define us, not our words."

Indigo couldn't help it. He barked out a laugh. "And your actions define you," he retorted. "How can you possibly justify this? How can a monster claim to be a hero?" He winced. His arm throbbed hot from the fall.

"The city was not my doing," the man pointed out, gesturing to the flames. They were lucky to be in the town square; the flames could not reach them. But still they scorched the moisture from the air, burning in his lungs. "If you had chosen not to come, those people would not have died. The only casualties would have been the monsters who sold children to a mad doctor. And your princesses emotions. I may be a monster, but at least I am an honest one."

Indigo laughed, the sound grating. "_Honest_. You've been lying to us from the beginning! Riza, the king and queen, they _trusted _you! You are the cause of this death, you gave the order!"

"I may given the order, but I would not have, had you not meddled," Doctor Camellia corrected, sighing. He looked at the red marring his black shoe from the woman's crushed throat. Her long hair was matted with cooling blood. "A pity. She was a beautiful woman, was she not?"

"How dare you pretend to be in the right!" Indigo snarled, and Entei roared a column of flames through the city streets behind him, still chasing Charizard. "What gives you the _right_ to destroy this land?"

"I was _born_ with the right," he snarled, suddenly furious. "This land is mine to do with as I please!"

An explosion rocked the world as the gunpowder in the armory caught fire. The blast hit him like a physical blow, and then the sound wave hit him. It was like his eardrums exploded in an instant. Indigo hit the stones, and heard screaming in his mind. Blood dripped form his nose as he clutched his ears, struggling to stop the ringing.

When he finally looked up, squinting through the pain, he saw familiar pink hair. Kaya's daughter stood in front of Doctor Camellia, facing him alone. He looked stunned, as though she had just spoken.

"That is your name, right?" Joyce repeated, stepping forward. She met the monsters eyes squarely. Indigo gasped out a warning, but either the words never made it past his lips or she could not hear. What was she _thinking?_ "Don't you remember me?" she asked softly.

"You think I know you?" Doctor Camellia laughed, raising an eyebrow. "You're mistaken, madam. I don't know you. And if you come any closer, I will kill you along with the others."

"No, I don't think you will," she countered, stepping forward. "You do know me. And I know you, too. You aren't a monster. Why do this?"

"Not a monster?" the raven haired man repeated incredulously, looking around at the burning city. "You must be joking."

"There are other ways to get what you want," Joyce pleaded. She took another step closer. "Legal, peaceful ways! I know that it wasn't fair, what they did to you, and I'm sorry. But don't you think that peace, real peace, should be brought about through peaceful methods?"

His eyes flashed. "Naïve idiot! What do you think would have happened if I had done as you so idealistically suggest? I would likely have been executed for my name, and those who did this to me, to _Kylara_, would have gone unpunished for eternity! Some methods are necessary for peace!"

He was snapping. Indigo struggled to stand, to protect her, to do _anything_, but dizziness overcame him and he fell back to the ground, hissing.

The mad doctor reached for a third Poke ball, his eyes deadly and furious. Her magenta eyes went wide, but before she could react, a small stone hit the doctor across the face.

Doctor Camellia turned his head forward slowly, murder in his eyes. A small boy stood between him and Joyce, huffing. His brown hair was blackened with soot. Another rock was held in his slightly chubby hand, a hand that hadn't yet lost its baby fat. "Stay away from mommy!" William shouted, his cheeks red under furious eyes.

Surprise flitted through the doctors eyes, replacing the rage. His hand fell uselessly to his side. "You appear to have broken our promise," he said frigidly, not looking at her. "Your son is cute."

Joyce looked down, and it must have been the heat of the fire that made her flush like that. "His father died before he was born," she admitted. "Will never knew him."

"You can stand here and say I am not a monster when your son is in danger?" the doctor challenged, turning back to her. Riza moved slowly behind him, slipping off her ropes silently. Her hands were free. She reached down, pulling at the knots around her ankles with deft fingers. Indigo held his breath. Joyce might not know it, but she was helping. If she could just distract him a little longer…

"He isn't in danger," Joyce responded, smiling beautifully. "I just know that you won't hurt us. We can be friends again, like we were back then. The king will hear your story, and recognize you for who you are, and then our country can know peace once again."

Indigo laughed sharply, expecting Doctor Camellia to do the same. She was an idiot. Idealistic and naïve. What did she think would come out of this? Honestly, Indigo thought cynically, did she think you could just fix everything like that? So simply?

But the doctor didn't laugh. He hesitated, and Joyce closed the distance between them with a few steps. The pink haired woman whispered something Indigo couldn't hear, and reached out to caress his face. Their eyes locked on each others, and suddenly Indigo felt as though they weren't even aware of the town burning around them.

A Pokemon arrowed through the flames, wings in tight as the fire licked at its feathers. "My lord!" Mayanna shouted, with something like fear in her voice. She fell from the Fearow, knocking Joyce to the ground.

She pulled out a silver dagger, and sliced it across Joyce's throat with a single, savage motion.

Riza screamed, and instead of attacking Doctor Camellia as she had been about to do, she leapt for Maya, stabbing at her with a broken stool leg. The chestnut haired maid rolled across the stones, coming up in a crouch, slashing at the princess with her dagger. Riza jumped to the right, and swept her legs out in an attempt to knock the other girl to the ground, but Maya just jumped, landing in a warriors crouch, the metal dagger in her teeth. The two began fighting in earnest.

"No unnecessary blood, Mayanna!" Doctor Camellia shouted angrily, kneeling in front of the bleeding girl. "I told you, _no unnecessary death!_"

Indigo was barely aware of their words, as fire filled his soul with an angry lament. _Joyce_. She had cared for him like a brother, and had been Riza's best girlfriend, a sweet, caring constant in his life. Indigo shook for her, and raged at how unnecessary her sacrifice was.

But that was not the only reason he shook.

Entei's rage filled him with the awful power of a volcano, filling his soul with fire and the lust for blood, for death, for _flames_. Why should he not dispose of the creature who killed her? Was it not his right, to strike down any enemy who stood in his path? Was it not _right_ to see justice carried out?

_Just end it_, the fire song whispered, aching stabbing through his gut.

And he wanted to. He wanted it badly. He knew what it would feel like, giving that order. The rush, the heady thrill of the kill, the smell of burned flesh and victory. The prize of a predator, more precious than the kill itself. He wanted it, more than he had ever wanted anything. The word barely did the feeling justice.

He had been warned this would happen. The Volcanofur was not a toy, and the connection between beast and master went both ways. The instincts of Entei were his own, and Indigo hated himself for it.

But still he could not seem to fight it.

Pain stabbed his tender ears as Entei roared, the sound reverberating through his bones, and then the creature was there, rearing up on two legs as fire spilled from the edges of its jaws. He could feel its lust to burn, the _anger_ it felt at Joyce's blood, anger that was reflected from his own heart. The beast was linked to him, and it wanted revenge for her as much as he did.

Except it was willing to kill. And he didn't know if he could stop it.

The worst part, the part that shamed him to his core, was that he might not have even tried if Mayanna hadn't been so close to Riza. Any blast that hit her, would claim the life of the girl he loved. Indigo couldn't let that happen.

"_No_," he thought forcefully, sending his will through his hand. "_Stop."_

It was like trying to stop his own heart from beating. He could feel the fire rage at his restriction, burning away his rationalizations, his conscience, his morals. He felt so very weak compared to Entei, like a flickering match next to a roaring inferno, a wildfire. The Volcanofur burned hot in his hand, and he was dimly aware of pain.

She saw what was happening, in the middle of her fight with the murderess. Her sunny violet eyes went wide with sudden shock as she realized how close he was to losing control. She turned back to Mayanna, her voice low and urgent as she tried to warn her. That nearly drove him over the edge, that she would try and save her.

His own strength was not enough. He knew that, and despaired. He decided then and there that the legend of the ice princess could not be true, because to control this power, and two equal ones at the same time, was unthinkable. His own power was not enough, and so he thought of Riza.

She would never give up. She was too stubborn for _that_. She would narrow her eyes at Entei and it would do _tricks_ for her if she asked it to. She was beautiful, but her beauty wasn't just about looks. She truly cared about people. It hurt her to see them hurt. If she wasn't that kind of person, she wouldn't even be here today.

Indigo opened his eyes and realized he was crying, again. Some man he was.

It felt like it took the last of everything he had, that burst of effort. But love made his heart just a little bit stronger, and Entei roared with fury and frustration, the Flamethrower it had been preparing spiraling harmlessly into the sky as a massive torrent of flames. Maya's chocolate eyes went wide as she saw the strength of the fire, and he hoped bitterly that she was afraid.

He fell to the ground, and the Volcanofur burst into flames that did not burn, turning to white ash in his fingers.

He heard rasping breaths, and raised his head from the ground through his exhaustion.

"Joyce!" Kaya gasped, leaning heavily on her walking stick. She stumbled once, before she reached her daughter. Indigo realized belatedly that she was still breathing. His own internal conflict had barely lasted any time at all.

"This isn't good," the healer said grimly, her lined face going pale. "Her vertebral artery has been opened. The incision missed the windpipe, but at this rate she has minutes before she bleeds out. Not even that."

"Mommy!" William shouted, his small arms pumping wildly as he ran to them. "Mommy, _mommy!"_

"William! Get back to the clinic and stay there, do you hear me!" Kaya shouted hoarsely. Joyce tried to speak, but blood ran out of her mouth weakly under drawn eyes.

"And you call yourself a healer," Doctor Camellia scoffed. "Don't make me laugh. This is just a cut. Easily fixed."

The prematurely aged woman turned on him, glaring through her tears. "I am no miracle worker!" she shouted brokenly, her voice cracking. "Even I cannot defeat death! But I can and will kill you for _this_, no matter who you think you are!"

The raven haired man stared at the broken woman, her faded hair and lined face making her seem older than she really was. When he spoke, his voice was almost mocking. "I suppose it's a good thing that I _can_ work miracles then," he said shortly, and he nearly shoved her out of the way as he knelt next to the dying girl.

"This will do you no good if you don't try, Joyce," he said seriously, looking into her eyes. His hands glowed briefly with light, and he placed them on her neck.

She bucked, shrieking horribly as her flesh was burned, her writhing only slowed by Kaya's restraining arms. Doctor Camellia was unfazed. He was focused entirely on his work, and didn't seem to hear her screams at all. Steam rose into the air. Indigo fought down nausea, and turned his head sharply away.

After a moment, there was only silence.

Indigo heard a scraping sound as the doctor stood. And then, Joyce moaned quietly, and he knew she was still alive.

"Joyce! You need to breathe, deep breaths, you can do it," Kaya ordered, in full medic mode. She fumbled for a Poke ball before releasing a Blissey. "Blissey, the artery has been cauterized, but her system could still go into shock. She's lost too much blood. I need you to stimulate the bone marrow, and regulate the release of norepinephrine in her system-"

"Bring her away," Doctor Camellia ordered, his black eyes merciless. "Right now."

Kaya's orders broke off, and she glared. "I don't take orders from you _yet_ my liege!" she snapped. "And I'm going to take care of my daughter before I do anything else!"

"Let me rephrase, old woman," he said calmly. "Bring her away or I destroy you both. I can preserve life, but ending it is far easier!"

Kaya glared at him, as though reading if he was serious or not, before she nodded sharply. "Blissey, bring her back to the clinic. William, you're coming with me. _Now_."

Joyce moaned softly as the Blissey picked her up carefully, and he saw the neat burns on her neck. It looked awful, but she was breathing. Her scorched black skin was still shining with blood with no source. She looked like a murder victim. Typhlosion hissed, tensing as it prepared to strike the fleeing group, but Doctor Camellia held out a hand.

"Let those three go. They are no threat to us. Let the fire finish them. I will have no part in it."

Indigo shouted as he brought the rock he had grabbed down towards the doctors head. The man ducked without looking, and swept Indigo's legs out from beneath him in the same motion. He hit the ground hard for the second time, panting.

And then a spark of fire touched his heart again. Indigo's eyes went wide, and he looked to Entei. It regarded him coolly.

Doctor Camellia kicked away the rock, out of his reach. "You really are a fool," he chastised, as though speaking to a child. "I warned you not to bring your Pokemon, but even I never expected you to listen. Those who fight alone _die_ alone. You seem to be out of tricks."

The fire sang, weaker, but there, and Indigo grinned. "I'm not out of tricks yet!" He rolled away across the scorching ground, and Doctor Camellia's black eyes went wide as Entei reared behind him. The legendary beast struck with a massive double clawed attack, hitting him directly across the back,

Doctor Camellia flew away like a rag doll, landing bare inches from the flames consuming the city.

With a cry of rage, his Cyndaquil charged the Entei, fangs bared. Before it could strike, Doctor Camellia raised one hand, manipulating the fire within the baby to throw it to the side. Indigo gaped as the man stood gingerly.

"Your connection with Entei isn't completely gone then," he mused thoughtfully. "_Inconvenient_. I had hoped to blame the burning of Karraket on you. It would have worked splendidly. You did enter the city _riding_ the monster that's been burning cities after all, and nearly everyone saw it before they fled. But that won't work if you've truly tamed the beast."

Entei was currently eying the Cyndaquil as though it were an intriguing snack. Indigo winced. He hadn't tamed Entei, and he didn't think it was possible. Maybe it was their connection, forged through the Volcanofur, or maybe it was just doing him a favor. He had no way of knowing.

"Why blame me?" he asked instead, as a distraction. It was his fault though. All the burnings. His eyes were dark when he continued. "Why not kill me?"

"I already told you," Doctor Camellia said impatiently, jumping to the side to avoid a Flamethrower. "A _favor_. But not to you. I still needed you denounced, to prevent you from becoming a threat. You've outdone-" he broke off to stop his tiny Cyndaquil from attacking Entei again. "-yourself," he finished, grinning madly. "Wonderful job, Indi-"

A massive Fire Spin stopped his words short, and Indigo held an arm over his eyes at the blast of heat, scorching even at this distance. He backed away slowly.

Entei was far past his reach now. It was out of his control, living only to destroy the fire whisperer. He had nothing left, no tricks. He had just destroyed his greatest enemy, but he had doomed his hometown in the process. A building creaked and groaned as it fell, devoured by the spreading, ravenous flames.

He had caused so much damage. And not just today. As the Nightwalker, he had worked horrors he barely dared to remember. His nightmares from carrying out the doctors work had driven Entei to burn cities to the ground. He had murdered the king and queen. He had condemned fourteen witnesses to death with his words. How much blood was on his hands now? _He_ was the monster, not the doctor.

His fault. It was all his fault.

Indigo fought back tears, caused by the stinging smoke more than anything, but a reminder of his failures all the same.

Riza. He had to find her. He hadn't seen her and Mayanna in ages, as their fight moved further into the burning city. She could be anywhere. He didn't have any tricks left, and he wouldn't leave without her. Where _was _she?

He thought of all the things he had done wrong, and despaired. Could a monster really redeem himself? Could he fight evil, when he was so stained himself? Was there even a difference between him and Doctor Camellia now? He had thought he was fighting for right, but then he had read Layla's diary and realized he was on the wrong side. He was fighting for a tyrant and a murderer. But then, the evil he was fighting was the same.

In a burst of clarity, Indigo despaired. He wished that she hadn't been the princess, that neither of them had been caught up in this mess. They could have lived a simple, happy, uncomplicated life, far from death and war and curses. They could have lived in a country cottage, surrounded by flowers and soft breezes. He could have been Indigo, and she could have been Riza. The Nightwalker and the Princess would have been nothing more than a bad dream.

Just the two of them. That was what he had really been fighting for. Not kingdoms, and good, or even power. All he had been fighting for was her.

And now he might have lost her forever.

"Indigo?" he turned so quickly he was barely aware of the motion, and saw her. She was panting, her riding habit torn in several places, and covered with soot and dirt. There was blood in her hair, and dirt coating his legs. Her fiery violet eyes were flashing. Even her clothes were mussed, wrinkled.

She looked beautiful.

"Riza," he gasped, hugging her close like he would never let go as the city burned around them. "Oh, _Riza_. I thought…"

"Don't worry about that," she demanded, her voice a little off as she panted for breath. "Indigo, we have to get out of here."

He nodded in agreement, and his heart sang. He took her hand, and it was like he had never despaired.

And then pain exploded in his side, and Indigo's world stopped. He looked uncomprehendingly at the blood streaming from his stomach, and the glint of silver. It was only after he turned, stunned, to meet her violet eyes that he understood.

Mayanna's eyes bled from violet to brown again, and she twisted the blade cruelly. She even dared to smile at him with Riza's lips.

Doctor Camellia rose in front of the Legendary, and Indigo's heart nearly stopped when he realized the man wasn't dead. Fire couldn't burn itself. The monster who started it all held out a hand and jerked it down. Entei roared with pain. And then its eyes glazed over, and the doctor stood, his hand out.

He bent the flames within the Entei, and the spark of fire in Indigo's heart guttered out. Entei bowed to the man with a fluid motion, and he knew the battle was truly lost.

Lights flashed in front of his eyes, and Indigo fell to the ground, shock and pain the only things he felt. In that moment he realized what must have happened. Riza had lost. She had fought Mayanna, and she had lost.

She was still in the city. And it was burning down around them.

He saw a boot rest in front of his face, and struggled to look up, even though he knew what he would see. Black and black, the mans eyes and hair matched perfectly, a shocking contrast to his skin. The face of the man who had started it all. A cruel smirk played on his lips.

"Who are you?" Indigo demanded as the strength ebbed from his body. He clutched at his wound, trying to stop the bleeding. But he had to know the truth. He deserved it, after everything.

"Save your words," the man advised, his black eyes soft. "You don't have much time." He looked at the burning city lovingly, as though the sight filled him with happiness. "Everything has gone according to plan. I win, Indigo."

"No!" Indigo shouted, despairing as he realized the extent of the monsters plan. "You can't do this! What about the people? Do they deserve a monster for a king?!"

Doctor Camellia looked at him with surprise. And then he laughed. "You're an idiot," he chastised. "They already _do._ Now I suppose I should save you. You have been very useful after all. I wouldn't have been able to do this without your help, Indigo."

"Did," Indigo whispered, shame and remembered horror filling his heart. "They _did_ have a monster for a king."

Doctor Camellia's smile faded. "What are you talking about?"

"My lord," Mayanna deadpanned, coming up beside him. "Tero, the king is dead. Queen Analynn as well. I saw it."

"_What?_" Doctor Camellia hissed, his black eyes somehow going darker. "But how…" he trailed off, and his flat gaze fell on Indigo, sending a shiver of fear down his spine. "You. You did this."

Indigo smiled half heartedly. "I'm afraid so."

With a cry of rage, the man struck his side, directly over the knife wound. Indigo cried out involuntarily.

"Do you know what you've done? Foolish boy, you've ruined everything!" he shouted, drawing back his hand as though to hit him. The hand glowed with firelight.

Slowly, the rage in the mans eyes dimmed. He dropped his hand, and his features settled into an impassive mask once again. "I suppose it doesn't matter. You won't survive that wound without my help…not even Kaya could save your life. The country will hate you for your crimes. You will die, an unloved monster. Killing you quickly would be a mercy. And Indigo? I must thank you for bringing me Entei. It will be valuable."

And then he started to walk away. After everything that had happened, he was just going to walk away. Indigo gritted his teeth, and grabbed for the hem of the mans cloak. "Your…_name_…" he demanded hotly. "Tell me." He could feel the life ebbing out of him, but he almost didn't care. He deserved it. And if Riza was truly dead, he didn't want to live anymore. He welcomed death. But this last mystery burned him.

"My name is Tero," the raven haired man said simply, watching Indigo's reaction. His heart thudded erratically as he realized what that name meant. His mind shut down blankly, and he continued. "Tero of the Burning Shadows. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Indigo. Now you can die in peace. Cyndaquil!"

A small form darted from the embers of the old town hall and shot a burst of flame at Indigo's outstretched hand. He pulled back sharply and let go of Tero's cloak, barely avoiding the red fire. The movement pulled sharply at his side. He grabbed his wound with a cry, wincing at the pain. His scarlet coated hand started to blur as his vision faded.

"Oh Riza," he whispered brokenly as the fire felled another building. He could hardly breathe through the scorching heat of the air. "I didn't mean it. It wasn't supposed to end like _this_. I'm…so sorry…"

In his dying moments he saw the one thing he most wanted to see. It was _her, _with her brilliant golden hair waving behind her back as she ran towards him. And despite the knowledge that it couldn't be real, he clung to it until his failing vision faded to black.

His story was done. Forever.

XxXxX


	22. Starting Again

**DISCLAIMER: Yeah, as usual, nothing belongs to me. That will all change when I take over the world...**

~o~

Indigo jumped between the branches of the dark forest, his eyes closed tightly against the inaccuracies of normal sight. Night time should have blinded him. Would have in the past. But now, the forest was _alive_. Cold lines of shining blue threaded through the trees like veins, reaching for the distant stars above. Pokémon moved cautiously through the forest, some of them dull and pale with sleep, others glowing with the bright blue of alertness. But none of them could stand up to him tonight. He reveled in the ease of near flight and the movement of his muscles over his new, strong bones. The air was crisp and cold, heightening every sense.

This was freedom!

Indigo felt like laughing, but contented himself with pushing his speed up a few notches more, until branches creaked under his paws and leaves rustled violently as he passed. The moon hung distant and remote in the deep black of the sky above, devoid of all aura, but haloed with color. This world was still strange and new to him, but it was beautiful. He barely even felt the cold of the dawning spring above the blood rushing through his body, the air steaming out of his mouth. For a long, blissful moment, he was nothing but what he appeared to be, power and strength already gained.

_Riza_. Her name hit him in the heart like a bolt of lightning, and Indigo stopped on the wide branch of a tree like he had been shot. Her name was nothing but a whisper, an aching echo from his past that haunted him like the worst kind of phantom. How long he had lived without her, when it felt like he couldn't survive another day. The boy turned Lucario opened his eyes, looking up at the stars with the same sight he had had as a human.

_If only you were looking at the same stars, princess._

Dawn lightened the horizon, fighting the deepest shadows of night. Indigo sighed, his mouth quirking up in a half smile. Violet would be awake soon. Her name didn't cause any pain. Violet was warmth in his heart, a naïve and kind girl who had befriended a killer. How different she was from him. The light to his darkness, the kindness to his strength. He honestly didn't know what he could have accomplished without her. As criminal as it sounded, he was glad to linger in a future where she existed, despite knowing the responsibilities he had left in the past. Riza was a phantom, but Violet was alive and here, right now.

But still. He could never exist happily in this time, not knowing there was even the slightest chance of seeing his princess again. It didn't matter what friends he made, or adventures he had. Riza was first, forever and always. He didn't believe it was _possible_ to change that in his mind.

But who knew how far away that day was. Indigo turned, facing the growing light on the horizon. He would break his curse. He would return to his time, and set things right. Until that happened, he refused to think about what he would be leaving behind. He would deal with that when the time came.

Slipping his eyes closed once more, Indigo wondered how long it would take him to get back to the Pokémon Center on the Indigo Plateau. He grinned, deciding it couldn't hurt to find out.

~o~

"Indigo, no!" Violet shouted desperately, her eyes fixed with horror on the battlefield. She had enough time to meet her partner's eyes before the attack he could not dodge in midair hit. Acceptance and wry irritation were written across his face. He closed his crimson eyes a moment before the Flamethrower engulfed him in molten red light so strong it burned into her vision as though she had looked into the sun.

"Good job, Tatsu," Roy praised his Garchomp, pride touching his face. "Sorry Hikanashi, keep trying!"

Violet bit her lip, returning Indigo with a beam of red before his charred body hit the rough ground. The worst part of being a trainer was seeing her friends hurt, again and again, whenever she wasn't quite good enough at calling the shots. It hurt her more than her Pokémon, who always forgave her instantly. She especially hated facing Roy, who knocked out her friends more than anyone else.

That being said, he was the best training partner she had. "Froslass!" Violet called, releasing the yuki-onna onto the field with a burst of gold. Snow swirled through the air in a typhoon around their field, cutting off sight of the outside world. A tittering laugh echoed through the air, her Froslass nowhere in sight.

Roy gritted his teeth, his dislike of her choice clear. "Tatsu, use Sandstorm! Clear this blizzard!"

Garchomp roared, his massive jaws gaping wide as sand began to swirl from the ground beneath his feet. The stream of sand slowed, and then stopped as ice crystallized across the earth, forming spiky spheres of snow on every grain of sand already in the air. Violet's Froslass tittered again, appearing in the Garchomps face before disappearing entirely into the wind again. Ice began to creep up his legs, locking him into place.

"Tatsu, don't panic-!" Roy shouted, as his Garchomp began bellowing, spraying Flamethrowers randomly through the air, chasing the ghost that was always one flash ahead of the bitter flames. A pillar of swirling snow engulfed the dragon Pokémon in an instant, arcing towards the sky.

The blizzard faded, until only a few sedate flakes of snow fell from the blue sky. The field reappeared, and Froslass hovered above it, her golden eyes half lidded and beautiful under her bone white mask. Garchomp was frozen in a chunk of glassy blue ice, still roaring with pain towards the sky.

"Lassie," Violet groaned, hitting her forehead with her palm. "This isn't a game. You can't treat opponents like…like _prey_."

"_Dragons believe themselves to be superior to all creatures,_" her Froslass mused, her eyes turning up. _"I am. They are not. I put the arrogant beast in its place_."

"You can't control that _thing_," Roy retorted, irritation written across his features as he returned his Tatsu. "You should have turned it over to the authorities when you had the chance."

"_That one is also arrogant,_" Froslass mused, turning contemplatively towards the rookie genius. _"He believes himself superior to _you_, my trainer."_

Violet didn't like the look in her eyes. "Return, Lassie," she sighed, calling her new partner back into her Ultra ball. Roy jogged over to her, somehow avoiding falling flat on his face on the snow dusted ground. She let her hand fall off Indigo's Master ball at her belt, smiling half heartedly.

"Wanna grab a bite to eat?" Roy offered, giving her a winning smile. She laughed when her stomach growled automatically at his words, accepting without hesitation.

The past few months had been nothing but increasingly brutal training, as she, Roy, and Indigo prepared themselves for the Pokémon League Championship. Three months had passed in total. The battle of their lives started in two days. Butterfree's danced in her stomach when she thought of it, but they were accompanied by a glowing sense of pride. Her Pokémon had never been stronger, and it showed.

This year's championship had taken a turn that surprised the world. It was one of the most looked forward to tournaments in history, for one, unexpected reason. Twenty eight trainers, Violet had freed from the ice, and of them twenty five had gained conscious thought. The frozen, now free, and every one of them was a genius beyond compare. Seven had managed to collect the badges from Kanto in the three months, despite time needed for recovery, and a few had given up the trainer's life after being imprisoned for decades. But the rest had joined the pre tournament competition, to gain their pass into the main event. Those that moved on would not need badges to compete, as had been the tradition since the league was founded.

Violet felt very small when she thought of it. She had captured Froslass, but she hadn't stood a chance in a fair fight. Roy was the one she had been after. Which meant that every frozen trainer was just as strong, just as much a genius, as he was said to be. Perhaps even stronger. This year's league would be filled with prodigies and the best of the best from the past fifty years.

The world was going to change because of this. This much talent had never gathered together at one time in recorded history. Everything was different, and Violet was nothing more than a minor player in the game.

"Hey, Violet, there's a girl here to see you!"

The dark haired teen turned, a bit surprised, to see Allison from the doorway of the Pokémon Center. She waved and then ducked back inside. "I'll catch up in a bit?" Violet asked, raising an eyebrow at her friend.

"Don't be long, Hikanashi," the handsome rookie warned. "Or I might be mobbed by girls. That happens to me a lot."

"Same here," Violet retorted, sticking out her tongue. "They try and _kill_ me. Why do I hang out with you again?"

"My charming personality!" Roy responded immediately, grinning widely at her. He was laughing at her expression as he walked away, towards the row of shops and restaurants that sprung up around the massive arena used for the tournament.

She muttered darkly to herself and turned towards the double glass doors of the Pokémon Center. She wondered vaguely who was here to see her, and why Allison didn't know them already. A blast of air conditioned air hit her face, and Violet sighed, smiling despite herself. She needed her Pokémon healed and a shower. Donuts couldn't hurt either, actually…

"So how do you know Violet?" Allison was asking, just around the corner of a padded booth. "A cute little girl like you must be strong, to make it here. Why haven't I heard of you before?"

"Me and Vie go back," a muted voice responded, her voice surprisingly low and mature. "I _am _strong. Stronger than she'll ever be, actually. I'm here to prove it once and for all."

A foreboding bell clamored in her heart. Violet turned the corner. Allison saw her and smiled, talking animatedly. But Violet didn't even hear her, her wide amethyst eyes focused on one thing and one thing only.

The girls' hair was a deep dark brown that hung to her chin, cut with spiky bangs that brushed her lashes. Pale skin and angled cheekbones accentuated her face, and her hard lips. The girls' eyes were big, but bitter sharpness took any childish look from them. She looked fifteen, but Violet knew she was barely twelve.

"Tara," she greeted, her voice small and her face white. "Why are you here?"

Tara Knight saw her and grinned, her sharp golden eyes lighting up. "I've been waiting, _Violet_. Actually, I'm here for you. I was going to kill you, but that's more than you deserve. I want revenge, and you're going to give it to me. Let's battle, sister."

~o~

Indigo opened his eyes to darkness. It echoed around him, like a cave. He heard the humming of electricity, and the purring of the mechanism of a Master Ball.

He sat up, hissing as his body registered pain. Burns scorched his fur black in large sections. He hurt all over with a fierce, relentless fire. Oh, how he _hated_ fire! It was greed and evil personified. He stood carefully, probing his surroundings with Aura. He did not sense Violet. Frowning, he cast his senses out further beyond the walls of the sphere, but found nothing. No life, Pokémon or human, existed nearby.

Something was wrong. Violet normally had him healed before he even woke up. Indigo put his palms together in front of his body, his arms straight, and fired a glowing pulse of blue Aura at the inside of the Master Ball. He huffed in surprise when it did not immediately open, and repeated the gesture, storing massive amounts of power ready to be released at a moment's notice.

"_Stop that_," an exasperated voice called. Indigo turned on one heel, firing at the mystery voice immediately.

The darkness shifted, rippling like water, and faded away, revealing a forest of thick green trees. Sunlight filtered down from above. He heard Pokémon cries in the distance, like nothing he had ever heard before. He straightened, his crimson eyes wide with alarm.

"_You must be Indigo_," the childish, echoing voice said, sounding pleased. "_I've heard a lot about _you_."_

The Lucario turned his eyes away from the forest. A small green Pokémon hung in the air, like a fairy. It's skin had the sheen of new leaves, growing darker near the tip of its bulb shaped head and its feet. Large blue eyes dominated its face, like pools of still water. Flickers of light followed in its wake, falling from thin, iridescent wings. She beamed at him, soaring in a circle around his body as he followed her with his own gaze.

"Where am I?" Indigo asked simply, his anger evaporated at the sight of the perplexing being. "Is this a dream?"

The fae Pokémon whirled in midair and shot up, leaving a glimmering trail behind her. _"This is the past,"_ she said, her childlike voice becoming more mature, like she was aging as they spoke. "_The past far before any human walked the earth. See for yourself."_

He whirled, seeing the forest with new eyes at the creature's insane claim. _It could not be_. The world exploded into grays and Indigo saw what was hidden beyond the surface of everything.

He was still on the Indigo Plateau. But a massive lake had appeared to the east, spreading as far as the eye could see. Massive Pokémon that he had no name for swam languidly in the deeps, so far below the world itself was black. Aerodactyl spun through the skies, calling raucously to each other, and far, far away he heard the powerful roar of a Tyrantrum.

This must be a dream. It had to be, because this was not possible. Indigo stared, unable to think or breathe. The Legendary waited until he had seen everything. "_The past,_" she said simply. "_And now, the future._"

Bells exploded in a beautiful clamor of discordant sound, and the forest disappeared, colors swirling around each other in a mad dance until they were surrounded by a tunnel of shifting white. Nausea curled in his stomach, forcing him to his knees as he tried not to look at the vortex around them both. When it faded, he was kneeling on dirt, real and solid beneath him.

He raised his head slowly, breathing hard. This forest he recognized. He had run through it the night before, taking in every sensation and sound. He knew it like his own Aura, and suddenly Indigo knew that this was not a dream.

"_I borrowed you from your trainer for a few minutes,"_ the light green legend said solemnly. "_She believes you are still in your Poke ball. My name is Celebi. If you help me, I will return you to your time."_

His eyes went wide, frozen with shock. "You can do that?"

Celebi nodded, her blue eyes solemn. "_But there is a catch,_" she said, hovering at eye level. "_I can return you to your time, but I cannot make you human again. Your curse is beyond my ability to revert. Time is my element, not alchemy. You would return, as a Lucario. And you could bring the girl with you."_

Lightning struck his heart, and in an instant the possibilities whirled through his mind. Conflicting feelings spun through him, equally strong. He could save Halleden, but not with his own hands. He could see Riza, but never be with her again. He could stay with Violet, but give up on his humanity forever.

It was too good to be true, and at the same time it was more than he could bear. He couldn't seem to breathe properly as he stared at the beautiful Legendary. He had not wished for this. But if he accepted, wouldn't it be enough? Even if it was not _everything_? Indigo could not speak for a long time, as his mind burned.

"And if I did accept?" the Lucario said hoarsely, his voice low. "What would you need me to do?"

Celebi shook her head. "_You must accept, before you hear your task. That part is essential._" He did not move as he processed that. After a long moment, she sighed. "_I will find another. You don't want this now. I will return you to Violet-"_

"Wait," Indigo growled, snapping his head up as Celebi drifted into the air. "Just _wait_." He took a few ragged breaths as the legendary paused. Finally he looked up, meeting her blue eyes with his scarlet. "I need more time," he pleaded, still shocked beyond rationality. "Give me a while to decide. Please," he added on, in an afterthought.

Celebi regarded him for a long moment, before nodding simply. _"Every being wants more time. But time is not something that can be given, as it simply _is_. I will return in a few of your days. Think on it, cursed one."_

Time swirled around them again, and Indigo jolted, feeling like his insides were being pulled out ahead of the rest of him. The white glow faded from his stunned eyes, and he was in darkness once more. His breathing was ragged, echoing around the walls of his Master Ball. Celebi was nowhere in sight.

He had a lot of thinking to do.

~o~

"Violet," Allison whispered, nudging her. "So who was that?"

She registered Allison's words, beyond her distraction. She had accepted, without thinking. She would never forget the vicious, victorious grin that Tara had given her or the look in her eyes. Tara had walked away with a predators' grace, after telling Violet to be ready as soon as her Pokémon were healed fully and not before. "Sorry?" she said faintly, still staring at the door.

Allison growled with impatience. "Is that really your sister? I thought you were an only child?"

"No. Well, kind of…" Violet trailed off, sighing. "We were close, a long time ago. Kylie and Tara were like sisters, because I didn't have any." Allison stared at her blankly, and Violet realized she still had no idea who Tara was. "That was Daniel Knights youngest sister," she explained, her voice small.

Allison whistled low, her eyes speculative. "She's here, which means she must be competing as well. She blames you, I take it, for Sabrina?"

Violet nodded mutely, old feelings of shame and despair welling up in her. "It was my fault, after all," she said, barely audible.

A flash of purple cut off Allison's next words, and suddenly Indigo was in front of her, breathing heavily. He was scorched and wounded from her last battle with Roy, looking like he shouldn't be standing. But he didn't even seem to notice, as he stared at her with wild eyes. "Violet," he breathed. "We need to talk. Now."

She froze, uncomprehending, and his eyes flashed impatiently. "Let's go," he said, pulling her to her feet with one rough jerk. He kept his hold on her wrist, and she hissed with the pressure.

"Let her _go_," Allison snarled, shoving him to the side. "What's gotten into you?! You're going to hurt her!"

"Not now, _girl_," Indigo retorted sharply. "I do not have time for your silliness. Violet, come with me."

"Indigo, what's-" Violet broke off as Allison's furious voice rose above her own.

"Violet's got her own problems, and she doesn't need your drama right now either, dog! Whatever it is, it can wait for _five bloody minutes_," the blonde girl shouted, her green eyes glinting furiously.

"Calm yourself," her Lucario ordered, staring at her impassively. "I have no intention of harming Violet. I'll return her soon enough."

"Indigo, you need to be _healed_ first," Violet gasped, staring at the full extent of his injuries with horror.

"What's going on?" Roy complained, coming through the doors of the Pokémon Center. "Violet, you're really slow."

"Enough!" Indigo snarled, his eyes flashing. "I need her, _now_. She's coming with me."

"No chance in _hell_, you arrogant, controlling-!" Allison swore, finally truly mad.

Roy hissed, striding over quickly, and grabbing Violets hand. He turned it over, seeing the blossoming bruise on her wrist. "What happened?"

Silence met his question. Roy looked up at Indigo, and his eyes narrowed. "She's not going with you, until you learn to control yourself better," he said, very quietly. "I don't know what's going on, but everyone needs to cool their heads. Right now. _I_ will take Violet, and get her wrist looked at. When we come back, and only _if_ she gets the okay from Nurse Joy, will we all talk. And there will be no more yelling, understood?"

Allison looked down at the ground, mulishly avoiding Roy's eyes. Indigo clenched his fist, and it crackled with Aura. "I don't have time for this," he snarled, whirling to stride angrily away. He shoved open the door to the Pokémon Center, and was gone from sight within seconds as he darted towards the forest.

Roy sighed. "He'll be fine, Vie," he promised, turning back to look at her. "Whatever it is, he needs to get it out of his system. Everyone will be more rational if you take a breather."

"I've never _seen_ him like that before," Violet breathed, her eyes wide as she stared at the doors. "But he can't have been awake for very long, and he was with me the whole time. What on earth happened?"

"Worry about it later," Roy ordered firmly. He looked at her wrist again, and made an angry noise. "Your _partner_ needs to learn his own strength! I'll get Nurse Joy to take a look at this. Don't move it around, if you can. You'll behave while I'm gone, Allison?"

"Don't look at me," the blonde girl growled. "He started it." Roy gave her a hard look, before he left, walking quickly. Allison sighed as soon as he was out of sight. "I am sorry about that, Violet. Really."

"It's okay," Violet accepted softly. "Don't worry about it." Her stomach growled, and Violet turned pink. "Um…"

Allison's eyes flashed with exasperation, but they were soft. "Food. I can do that. Me and Pippy got take out. There's enough for three, if you want to eat."

Violet's stomach growled again, and she nodded mutely, turning a brighter shade of pink.

Allison grinned. "I'll be right back."

Violet sat down heavily as her friend walked out of sight, her head spinning. Tara. Tara was here. Had she finally forgiven her, after all these years? And Indigo, too. What had happened to her partner to make him act so intense? And he had taken off despite still being injured…

Questions without answers. Violet sighed, her black hair spilling around her face as she looked down at her hands.

Some ghosts she would never be free from. Even if Tara _did_ forgive her, Violet knew she wouldn't forgive _herself_. To do that would be like denying she had ever loved him. Violet breathed, and tried to ignore the pain that came with each breath, aching and raw. Oh, Tara…

~o~

"You did it, then?"

Tara Knight turned, facing her companion. Her grin was evident. "We fight as soon as she's ready. I'm going to take her _down_."

"Don't underestimate Violet, little one. She's stronger than she appears."

Tara laughed at him, in high spirits. "But she couldn't beat my brother! I have _his_ Pokémon. I can't lose."

"Do you think they'll do it? You know they still love her."

Idle warnings. Tara could not lose. "Don't worry about that," she assured, her golden eyes bright. "They'll do it. I can make them, remember? This will be a piece of cake."

The man sighed. "You shouldn't use your Pokémon like that. But then, I'm not one to judge. You will have your revenge, little one. The best revenge, as I promised it would be." His eyes were haunted. He grabbed his arms violently, shaking hard.

Tara stared at him until the spasms subsided a little. He was still shuddering when she spoke. "You're better now, than you were before," she acknowledged, raising an eyebrow. "Do you think that will ever go away? You really should see a doctor."

The man chuckled, his voice low and throaty. "No doctor can cure this illness," he said simply, his breathing hard. "It is _guilt_, and I can't be free of it. Not ever. Not after what I've seen my own hands do."

She stared at him dubiously, but shrugged eloquently. "I won't feel guilty," she promised, her teeth showing when she smiled. "I'm justified in this. So I'll never, ever feel guilt."

The man was silent for a long time. He straightened, and his eyes were in shadow. "I certainly hope so, young one," he said, sighing. "I truly do, for your sake. You'll fight Violet soon enough. If you're as strong as you say, you will win."

"I will win," Tara Knight said seriously, her child's body belying her words. She smiled then, serenely and without guilt. "I'll battle her, and I'll kill every single one of her Pokémon. And then she'll know once and for all how it feels to lose something you care about."

Her companion met her eyes, and smiled fondly at her. "Whatever makes you happy. I'm glad to know you, young avenger. Why don't we train for a while? A warm up before your big finale."

"Yeah, sure!" the young girl agreed, grinning up at him. Karo returned her smile half heartedly, but reached for a Poke ball all the same. Before long the roars of her Pokémon filled the forest, along with the sound of breaking trees.

~o~


	23. The Peaceful Future

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokemon, Yu gi oh, or even Digimon. Not. even. digimon. How sad is that?**

~o~

Indigo ran until the anger had burned its way out of his system, scorching and raw. When he finally stopped, he was deep within the heart of the forest that surrounded the Indigo Plateau. Barely any sunlight made its way to the earth here. Deathly quiet swallowed all sound, muffling and gagging it.

Irritation still coursed through him, but he fought it down. His mind was still whirling. He could go back to his time, right now. He could go without breaking his curse, and without learning true kindness. He longed still to speak to Violet, but pushed that sensation down as well. He needed to be calm. He needed to _think_.

Be rational. Would it be better for Halleden if he returned as a human? Or a Lucario?

As a Lucario, he had _strength_. He could run like the wind without tiring, he could fight his own battles, and he could read the Aura of his opponents. There was no denying the physical advantages he had now, that he would lose if he broke his curse. He was stronger and better, now that the strength of his soul had been manifested as physical. He could destroy Tero with the iron strength of his fists and heart.

But Riza loved him as a human. How would she feel, seeing him like this? Pain twisted through his gut at the thought. She knew him as a boy, a _person_. Things would change between them if he returned now. It would _never_ be the same again. But if that was what it took to save her…if giving her up was the only way to _save_ her…

And then there was Violet. She was his best friend. They had been through so much together, the thought of leaving her now was horrible. He hated the inevitable goodbye they would face if he broke his curse. But on the other hand, if she came back…if she _wanted_ to come back and help him, would she be able to return home again?

He would return to his own time, but doom her to being forever apart from hers. They belonged to different worlds. It couldn't end happily for both of them. Not if they were together. But if they were apart, he would miss her forever. He had no doubt she would feel the same. But wasn't it better, if she stayed here, happy and surrounded by friends? They would help her get over his loss, and she would move on. She wouldn't have to give up everything for his sake.

But she could help him. With Violet's other Pokémon, and her expertise, she would be a huge help in the fight for Halleden. Could he really afford to leave her behind? No matter what pain it caused _her_?

He hated himself for even thinking it, but grudgingly acknowledged it to be true. Violet was his strength. If she was with him, he wouldn't revert to the idiot boy he had been before he had been cursed. He wished that this were easy, and he could return as a human and bring Violet as well. Now that he considered the possibility, he wanted it with every fiber of his being. No goodbyes. No sacrifices. He wanted her help in this fight, and he wanted to keep his friend, and he _could not have it both ways_.

Could he doom Violet to a life spent in the past? Could he even _ask_ her to do such a thing?

He had planned on not thinking about saying goodbye at all. Not that the recent events had left him much _choice_.

Indigo realized the shadows were lengthening around him, turning the maze of a forest into a dark wonderland. A breeze rustled the leaves above him, and Indigo looked up sharply, but it was only wind after all. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with irritation. He had been out longer than he thought. But he couldn't go back just yet. He had one more question to consider.

In the moment, talking to Violet had seemed essential. But now that he was away, his mind was considering other possibilities. Was it fair to ask her to make such a decision, when she would inevitably put his needs above her own? He could disappear, and while she would be sad, she would get over it with time. She had her friends and her Pokémon with her. No other tragedies would occur, not with him out of the picture, and her life would go on. So the real question was, if he _did_ decide to make a deal with the being of Time…

Would it be better for Violet if he never told her?

~o~

Violet looked out at the brilliant sunset, biting her lower lip worriedly. The dark forest stretched nearly to Tohjo falls, far to the west. Its black expanse seemed endless to her, and left her wondering where her partner was within. Indigo still wasn't back, and night would fall soon. He had been gone for hours now. She should have listened to him, she shouldn't have let him storm off like that…

"Worrying won't make him come back any faster," Roy commented, sitting next to her as he looked out at that forest. "Indigo can take care of himself you know."

"Yeah," Violet said, but her forehead was still creased. "He had something important to tell me, before he left. Maybe it was about Tara. He might have some insights on what happened with _her_."

"You don't even know if he was awake for that," Roy disagreed instantly, shaking his head. "If it had been about Tara, he wouldn't have left you to wander the forest. Whatever this was, it was personal. Something he could only talk to you about, Violet."

Instantly an answer sprang to her mind, but Violet rejected it immediately. It couldn't be about his curse. He had finished his story, and explained everything to her. And if he succeeded in breaking his curse, and returning to his time, he would have just been _gone_. No goodbyes, no closure. Wherever he was, he would be sent back home. To the place he really belonged. Without her.

Violet stood up, brushing back her fine dark hair as she sighed. She felt the sudden urge to leave. "I'm going for a walk. I'll be back before it's too dark."

"Violet."

She turned, and Roy's eyes were pinched with worry. "Be careful," he said, deadly serious. "With all of this. Just promise me you'll be careful. Especially with Tara."

She laughed at the expression on his face. "Please. What's the worst that could happen? It's just a battle. I've done _that_ before."

"Violet, be serious," Roy complained. "I mean it. She's dredging up your past just by _being_ here. I have a bad feeling about this. All of it."

She understood his concerns, but she really didn't want to have to share her deepest feelings with her rival. She needed Indigo for that. "I'll be fine," she promised, looking directly into his eyes.

After a long moment he seemed to give up, sighing and smiling wryly at her. "Be safe, Violet."

She went to her room first, grabbing the faded yellow backpack that she had really meant to replace ages ago. She checked on the pockets, making sure she had all her Pokémon with her. She bit her lip again when she saw Indigo's empty Master Ball. She clipped them to her belt, slinging a trainers vest on over her white cotton shirt. Her hair hung low to mid back. Violet completed the look with her favorite baseball cap.

She felt another pang of worry for Indigo, but tried to ignore it. He really could take care of himself. _Indigo wouldn't just leave her_, she rationalized. He would come back. And when he did they would talk about whatever it was that had bothered him so much earlier today.

She walked out into the chill of the near night, hugging her arms closer to herself. It was spring, finally, and leaves were just beginning to darken in color from the pale green of new life. The little city around the tournament site was full and bubbling with life, as trainers from all around the world came to compete and watch the events. Streetlights illuminated the cobbled stones in pale orange light. Red hanging lanterns stretched across the road between stalls and stores, lending a festive atmosphere to the air. But Violet wasn't in the mood to shop tonight. She turned left instead, towards the rows of training fields and arenas that were intended for vigorous practice. Many trainers were still making use of them, the bright stadium lights on in all of the in use fields.

She breathed deep, walking until she was past the biggest groupings of trainers. _Just a little farther_. The thought drove her onwards, towards an abandoned area. She walked a little faster, ignoring the cold, her breath misting faintly in the air in front of her. She registered the fading light of day, but dismissed it. She had her Pokémon with her. Nothing bad could happen.

_Almost there_. She turned off the path, stepping slowly onto a field that was completely dark, suddenly wondering what on earth she was doing. She shouldn't be so near the forests edge, not with night coming on. It was like something had led her here, the voice of a psychic Pokémon…

The bright lights of the stadium field burst on, filling the world with blinding white. Violet held a hand in front of her eyes, squinting as she tried to see beyond the glare. She was standing in the center of the field, and with a start, Violet realized she was not alone.

"You made it," Tara said, sounding truly pleased by the fact. "I knew you would!" She was standing across from Violet, highlighted by the brilliant lights, her spiky brown hair hanging almost to her eyes. She looked taller than Violet's mental image of the girl. She was stylishly dressed in black jeans, with a trainers vest over her shirt. They matched, in a strange way.

"Tara?" Violet whispered, blinking the rest of the blindness away. The rest of the field was completely empty. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting," the young girl said simply, as though it were obvious. "For you, Violet. Your Pokémon are healed. It's time for us to finish things, once and for all. Battle me, here and now."

Looking at Tara, it was impossible to miss her resemblance to her older brother. Violet's heart twisted as she took in the younger girls features. Her bitter look was gone, replaced by a strange light in her golden eyes, feverish and excited. She wondered what had changed, barely daring to hope it meant Tara no longer hated her. Why wait for her here? And how did she know Violet would come? She wondered if a friend was helping Tara, with a psychic Pokémon.

Also…Violet bit her lip, touching Indigo's empty Master Ball. He wasn't back yet. She only had four Pokémon with her, and Indigo was her best. She should really wait for him.

But then, it was only a battle. And who knew when he would be back. Violet straightened, letting her hand fall. If it would help Tara's opinion of her in any way, then she had no problems with battling the younger girl. Indigo wouldn't mind if he missed one fight.

"Sure," she agreed, smiling hesitantly. "We can battle. Now's a good a time as any is."

"I was hoping you'd say that, sister," Tara said, smiling beatifically. "Go, Fury!"

She threw the Ultra ball in an arc, and it exploded open in midair, the powerful form of a Salamence breaking free from the light, roaring powerfully. Wind tossed Violet's hair as it flew, and she inhaled sharply, admiring the strength and beauty of Fury. The dragon was awe inspiring, and Daniels strongest attacker. Beating him would be a challenge worth taking.

If Tara was using her brothers Pokémon, Violet really could lose. Danny had been the best, after all, said to be the next Champion in the making.

She shrugged, accepting the possibility of a loss with good grace. She would enjoy the opportunity to fight his Pokémon, after all this time. She wondered what kind of a trainer Tara was, but pushed the thought to the side. She had other things to focus on right now. _They could battle, and maybe Tara would understand her better after it was over_.

Violet grinned, her eyes lighting up as she threw a Poke ball into the air, releasing a Ditto turned Flygon screeching onto the field. "Bring it on!"

~o~

Indigo paced, his eyes shut tight, but not using his Aura vision. _What should he do?_ He was no closer to a decision. If anything, it had gotten worse. Fears about the challenge of defeating Tero, saving Riza, accepting Celebi's proposal but being unable to complete it, everything in his mind clamored for attention. The blackness behind his lids was helping; Indigo avoided small obstacles with his other senses on high alert. If he was human, he would have hit a tree ages ago.

He wished he knew how close he was to breaking his curse. It could be weeks, or years away. He really had no way of knowing. If he passed up this opportunity, he might never get home. He would stay a Lucario, forever, searching for the meaning of true kindness…whatever that was! Indigo growled with frustration, snapping open his eyes. This was impossible.

He wished he knew what he would have to _do_ in order to gain Celebi's help. The mystery task ate at him, always interrupting other thoughts. Indigo wanted answers, but all he had were questions.

A new thought occurred to him, and it stopped Indigo short. He knew what the right choice here was. He should return immediately to Halleden, curse broken or not. He should save his homeland, and try to repair the damage he had caused with his own hands. He could always discover true kindness _while in the past_, and become a human again there. It was not impossible. In fact, it was completely and utterly rational.

So why was he hesitating?

Wearily, he sat down, his head in his paws. Everything fell into place, and Indigo saw the truth of it as clear as sunlight. Violet. He was hesitating because of _her_. He had grown too attached to her, and to the adventures they'd shared. Part of him never wanted to go back to the world of blood and death he'd known before. Part of him wanted to stay in the future, and have fun filled days and new challenges, with her. And that part of his heart was getting increasingly hard to ignore.

He knew it wasn't a choice between returning now, or later. It was a choice between two lives he'd made for himself, and two strange girls who were more important than anything. If he broke his curse, it wouldn't stop him from missing Violet. And if he returned now, he would have to leave her behind, or else risk trapping her in his bloody past. She really could die, in that time.

Did he really have to go back?

As soon as he had the thought, Indigo clenched his fist hard, conflicting emotions rising in him like a storm. It would be easy, so very easy, to forget about returning. Thoughts of Riza had been coming less and less lately, and he had a good life here. No killing, no reminders of his crimes, violent revolutions, or black eyed monsters.

No responsibilities. No atoning. No way to save his princess, and set things right. He still loved her, even now. His heart was human, as it always had been. He didn't even know if she was still _alive_, and that thought brought agony. And love or not, she was still his friend. She was fighting a war by herself.

He could stay here, and leave the past where it was. He could forget his old life, and start a new one, free of his demons. He could, but Indigo knew he would not. He couldn't, no matter what he wanted. It wasn't a choice. He loved her, and could not be free of it if he tried.

Indigo had no sooner completed the thought when he noticed the pale green Pokémon hovering at eye level, her blue eyes solemn. "You're early," he sighed, barely even surprised. His decision had tired him, made him as weary as if he were a thousand years old. He knew what he wanted, and felt aged beyond belief as he accepted it.

"_In a few days, you are no longer in this place,_" Celebi explained, her mouth not moving as she spoke. "_You left, beyond my reach. Have you made your decision?_"

He closed his crimson eyes slowly, his heart aching. "Yes," he growled, voice rough. "Tell me what I need to do, legendary."

Celebi nodded. _"You accept then. Very well. I will return you to your time in exchange for a single favor_."

"And?" Indigo asked impassively as he stared at her with dead eyes. "What is it?"

Celebi reached forward, touching his forehead with one pale hand. Visions flooded his mind as he saw what she had already seen. _"There is a girl in this competition, twisted by bitterness. Her dawning psychic powers will drive her mad if she does not learn to let the past go. Emotions fuel ability and hers will inadvertently create a tear in the fabric of time itself. I cannot travel beyond this tear, and the future is blocked to me. I cannot protect and care for time if I am unable to travel freely."_

"Psychic?" Indigo repeated, the word finally catching up to him. Wonderful. He hated psychics. "How strong is she?"

Celebi touched his forehead again, and Indigo saw destruction. His eyes went wide as he saw the extent of the damage, like a meteor had hit the earth. "_This girl is not actually powerful, but her emotions most certainly are. Without peace, she cannot fully control them. This is her turning point. You must act now, or she will be beyond help. Her trauma will strengthen her powers, and it will destroy her and her surroundings. Time itself will be damaged by the blast. _

"So?" Indigo asked, opening his eyes as the vision ended. He had seen images of the time vortex, broken and black, twisted lines leading nowhere. "What can I do about that?"

"_Save her,_" Celebi said simply, her voice becoming more childlike again. _"She has not grieved for the tragedies she's seen. She must cry, or the bottled emotions will destroy her."_

"That's it?" Indigo repeated in disbelief. "I just have to make her cry?"

"_You weren't listening!_" Celebi complained, narrowing her chibi eyes at him with irritation. "_She must_ grieve_. Force her to confront her true feelings, and change her hatred into the sadness it truly is at her core._"

This sounded very familiar. But this wasn't the time for self analysis. "I'll do it," he said. "Where can I find this girl?"

"_Thank you. The girl is there._" Celebi pointed back towards the glimmering lights of the Indigo Plateau. _"I will show you her face so you will know her_."

Shock coursed through his body as he recognized the face. "I already do," he said, the answer hitting him in the gut. Of all the people in the world to develop psychic powers, it had to be _his_ younger sister. The irony was almost painful.

He felt it even from the distance between them, then. The shock, and utter _horror_, as Violet's Aura screamed out at him. Suddenly Indigo felt cold. He had to get back to her, this moment. Something had gone horribly wrong. He had been sitting here feeling sorry for himself, when he should have been with her.

When he looked up, his eyes finally seeing again, Celebi was gone. Indigo pushed Aura into his legs, leaping into the trees. He ran so quickly he could barely see the forest, always looking ahead in his pale other vision. He ran as though his life depended on it, and prayed he would not be too late.

~o~

"Ditto, transform!" Violet shouted, her spirits high as the battle heated up further. The twin Salamence transformed once again, wings stretching out wide until an Aerodactyl spun free from the other dragons attack, taking advantage of the greater mobility of its new wings. Fury overcorrected, coming to a complete stop in the air, growling with frustration as the Aerodactyl wheeled away.

"Now a Dragonite!" Violet ordered, her voice lifting into the sky. "Use Draco Meteor, Ditto!"

Aerodactyl changed in midair, increasing in speed even more as its body gained more power. Dragonite flapped its small wings lazily, and lifted its arms into the sky as it roared. All was silent for a heartbeat, and then meteors tore down from the sky, bathed in scarlet and blue and gold.

"Fury, Fly!" Tara countered, her golden eyes intense. Sweat beaded on her temples as she stared into the sky at the battle. "Avoid them all!"

The Salamence stretched out its massive crimson wings, meeting the Dragonite's challenge with a roar of his own, shaking the air itself. Air streamed visibly around the tips of his wings as he soared nearly straight up, spinning like a rocket. He soared around one massive meteor, and batted another away with his powerful tail. He extended his wings once again, so high the moon seemed closer in the dark sky, silhouetted against the starry expanse. Without warning, he folded his wings in tight again, streaking directly _down_ towards Violet's Ditto turned Dragonite.

"Dodge that!" Violet gasped, as Fury shot down like a meteor himself. "Hurry!"

The Dragonite looked at her with surprise, as though wondering why on earth she was so worried. It shrank, condensing into the shape of a Geodude, tiny after its previous mass. The rock Pokémon tucked its arms in tight, and fell like a stone, Fury streaking after it. The Salamence reached closer and closer with bared fangs, both of them falling directly down towards the ever nearing ground. Violet's heart was in her throat as they gained speed, growing larger to her eyes.

Geodude hit earth, still tucked into a tight ball, spraying a circle of grass and dirt into the air. Fury hit an instant later, and the resulting boom was like a bomb had gone off. Wind and sand lashed out in a massive shockwave so loud it was physical pain to hear.

Violet lowered her arm from over her eyes, coughing violently after inhaling dirt. She couldn't breathe, or see, for the longest moment. When she could finally see clearly, the air was dusky with sand and debris. The bright lights did nothing to illuminate the crash zone. Nothing moved.

Finally, a shadow rose from the crater. Fury cracked open his wings, black against the lights, and roared like death itself.

"One down," Tara said, heat lacing her tone. "That's _one_."

But Violet had seen the second shadow, far smaller than the first. "Not quite yet," she grinned, shouting her next orders with heat of her own. "Ditto, use Dragon Pulse!"

The shape of a Lucario darted through the debris, bracing itself with both arms extended straight. A swirling silver blue vortex ripped from its palms, clearing the dust entirely an instant before it hit the Salamence dead on. She heard Fury's cry of pain and anger, and held her breath as he lashed out with elongated claws. Her Ditto danced away, using Indigo's strength and speed for itself. She noticed its limp, like one paw was injured badly.

"Fury, knock that thing out," Tara cried, her bangs falling into her eyes. "To your right!"

Salamence whipped its powerful tail in an arc, hitting the surprised Lucario like a train. It hit the ground on its back, bouncing painfully as it cried out. Before either the Lucario or Violet could react, Fury was pinning the smaller Pokémon down by its shoulders with its massive claws. It struggled feebly, its breathing horribly shallow.

"Return, Ditto," Violet sighed, seeing that the match was over. Any longer and her Pokémon would be hurt too badly. Really, it was a miracle Ditto was still conscious. She pushed the button in the center of its Poke Ball. It just clicked. She frowned, looking at the sphere with surprise.

"Now, Fury," Tara ordered, her voice strangely intense.

Salamence did not move. Tara's face twisted with ugliness. "_Now_," she shouted, lifting a hand with a suddenness that surprised her. And Salamence's eyes went flat, like all the light had been sucked out from them at once.

"What are you doing?" Violet asked, her eyebrows going together. She tried her Poke Ball once more, frowning when it didn't work. Last time she had seen this, it was because Sabrina was preventing the sphere from opening. This was different, but strangely similar.

"That won't work, sister dear," Tara said, the light back in _her_ eyes. She looked positively radiant, as though it was her birthday. "I'm going to get revenge for my brother _tonight_. Say goodbye to your Pokémon, because I'm going to kill them all. You'll never be a master, Violet. Fury, finish it!"

Salamence reared its head back, eyes still dark. Violet's heart skipped a beat as Tara's impossible words registered in her mind. "No, _no!_ Fury, _stop!_" she screamed, running forward as though she could possibly do anything.

The Ditto struggled wildly, an instant away from transformation, when the Salamence ripped off its head. Blood sprayed, and everything was still.

~o~

**A/N** I hereby promise not to absolutely destroy everything I've spent this entire story creating, as I feel obligated to do after writing that. Rated T for a reason!

K-tori out :)


	24. Mirrored Fates

**DISCLAIMER: Nothing is owned! Nothing! Hahaha! 8D (Not even my delusions own Pokemon...)**

~o~

Tara never turned away or looked down. Blood spattered her cheek as Fury ripped his claws down the already dead Ditto, still transformed into a Lucario. Violet had screamed, and it was music to her ears. She barely spared a glance for her murdered opponent, because the Pokémon had never mattered anyways. This was not about them.

Karo had been right after all. _Huh_. Violet really did care too much for her Pokémon. Maybe it was because she had no one else. She would have to thank him later. He was so soft the news that she had actually done it would probably send him into another fit. She wondered how on earth he had been such a villain when the thought of sadness nearly killed him altogether. She was stronger than _that_. Pokémon died every day. It wasn't a big deal.

Tara didn't feel any pain as Fury batted the corpse to the side, roaring with blood stained jaws. Violet had frozen in place, her strange eyes locked wide, and her face ashen. She stared without comprehension. Tara grinned when it finally hit her. Violet screamed, tears falling down her cheeks. She ran forward - as if she could do anything! – But Fury stopped her progress, staring at her with empty eyes as he growled low in his blood stained throat.

"How does it feel, sister?" she asked, feeling a savage glee as she saw the expression on Violet's face. It was something she knew very, very well. "This isn't the end of it. My brothers Pokémon will annihilate your team. I've sealed off the area so you can't leave, and if you refuse to fight I'll just force your Pokémon out myself. Your story isn't important anymore. It ends here."

Violet's gaze snapped up to hers then, still wide and detached from reality. But there was something new in her gaze that made Tara take a step back, because she had never seen such hate directed at her before. "Tara Knight," she said oh so quietly, her voice choked and filled with pain. "Your brother would be _ashamed_ to see what you've become. It would kill him to see you like this!"

How dare she speak of him after what she'd done! How _dare_ she! "Release your next Pokémon!" she snapped, her eyes hard. "You _can't_ beat me!"

Violet got a funny look on her face, as though she'd heard the words before. "I will fight," she said quietly, barely audible over Fury's breathing. "And I will win. It is as simple as that. You will lose, Tara. You don't deserve to be a trainer."

Tara laughed, excitement filling her body. This was _perfect_. "But you can't beat my brother's partners! Not in a million years! Let's end this!"

Violet stepped off the field, tears still flowing down her flushed cheeks. She was shaking with her grief, arms held tight. But there was fire in her eyes, along with an emotion Tara did not recognize. She released a Froslass onto the battle stage, who eyed the stained earth with interest. "No holds barred," her old enemy whispered, and Tara knew she was shaking with anger as well. "No holds barred, Froslass!"

~o~

Violet had never felt such a violent hurricane of emotions as she did during that battle. Confusion, sickness, anger, despair, fury, loss, savagery, sadness, emptiness, grief, and a thousand other feelings she could hardly name howled through her mind until she was less herself than she had ever been in her entire life. She had faced monsters before. She had beaten them all, and still held onto the little spark of who she _was_, never losing her sanity.

She wondered what that was like. Sanity seemed overrated just now. She was still crying, hot tears that simply wouldn't stop running down her cheeks. She couldn't even imagine what she looked like just then, but she hoped it was scary. Because she would die before letting this revenge take place. Her long dark hair flew nearly straight up as a blizzard of shrieking white burst up from the edges of the battlefield, and there was murder in her eyes.

The painfully bright stadium lights faltered, throwing deep shifting grays and black as it filtered through the blizzard. Fury hissed, his massive draconic form tensing as he glared at the storm her Froslass had melted into. Violet heard her laugh in delighted glee, and knew she had chosen her partner in this battle well.

"Stop, Fury!" Tara shouted, unfazed by the frigid drop in temperature. Her deep brown hair whipped wildly around her golden eyes, catching small flakes of snow. "Don't move until that thing comes out!"

"_Pretty little trainer,_" Froslass purred, her beautiful voice echoing loudly. "_You don't know what you're doing. Don't stop, please?"_

Jagged spires of blue ice burst from the ground like thorns, streaking in a line towards Fury with deadly speed. Violet just watched, her eyes dark, not bothering with commands just yet. Froslass knew what she was doing far better than she did. Salamence drew open his jaws, filled with serrated teeth, and fired a shrieking gold Hyper Beam at the spikes before they could reach him, exploding them into a diamond dust flurry of shimmering flakes that drifted down to the earth harmlessly.

The Hyper Beam arced crazily across the field, punching a hole in the concealing blizzard, where it hit a rippling shield of psychic energy, just visible before the snow closed up, healing the wound with cold ice that burned like fire. Froslass laughed again, and it resounded from everywhere and nowhere.

"Fury!" Tara shouted angrily. "I told you not to move you stupid-"

"Thunderbolt, Froslass," Violet said calmly, as her hair tangled in the wind around her and the tears froze on her blistered red cheeks. "Hit him now!"

Tara flinched, looking around for the white yuki-onna, but finding nothing. Fury was still and unable to move, recovering from his panicked Hyper Beam. She didn't see the Froslass until she looked up, into the clear patch of sky far above, surrounded by the swirling white tornado. Violet's monster raised her hands high, calling lightning down from heaven, basking in her own power with stars winking behind her. Jagged white bolts of sheer energy screamed down from the previously empty sky, forked and branching, the tips of each arc dyed electric blue. When it hit it was like a meteor, the shrill whistle growing louder before exploding in a shock wave of raw power.

"Fury!"

Violet barely heard Tara's panicked cry over the anger in her own heart. "Froslass, Shadow Ball!" she shouted before the explosion had even cleared. Her own anger surprised her. It was only a side note though, the rest of her being focused on nothing but the battle she felt as though she were fighting in as well. Her heart pounded, spreading adrenaline spikes through her limbs like jolts of fire. Blood still stained the battlefield, along with the body that looked just like Indigo's, and it was not the only red Violet saw.

Her Froslass vanished from sight instantly, reappearing directly in front of Violet, facing the field. A laughing sphere of purple midnight was already growing in front of her dainty dolls hands, imbued with the dark glee of a ghost. It tore from her hands like a bullet, throwing a tail like a comet as it flew through the chilled air. It hit the Salamence dead on, forcing its feet to slide back a few inches through the dirt.

"Fury, use Outrage!" Tara commanded, and every blinding particle in the air was flung to the side as red energy engulfed her Salamence like a halo of demonic light. He roared his anger, instincts taking over and changing Violet's old friend into a primal beast with no thoughts but destruction.

"Froslass, don't-" Violet shouted, her eyes going wide as they saw her Froslass titter, one hand daintily held to her mouth as she looked at the attack with disdain. She flickered towards the Salamence, reappearing in front of its eyes, cold blossoming from her lungs in below zero temperatures.

She didn't fear the attack, because she knew it was not effective against the eternal power of ice. But Violet knew Fury, and her Froslass should have been very afraid indeed. Salamence ripped at her with jaws like a vice, barely even noticing the Frost Breath that should have knocked him out for good.

Froslass screamed with surprise and anger, and Salamence took to the sky, ripping at her savagely with primal fury. Violet called out her name, her heart stopping when her Pokémon's cries ceased. Lightning lit up the sky like noon day, spreading in every direction, wild and unfocused. Salamence roared, freeing the white ghost. No sooner was she free than the dragon whipped around, slamming her with his tail, still covered with the angry crimson aura of Outrage. Froslass reeled back, sinking into the hurricane blizzard backwards, her yellow eyes shut tight.

"Stay hidden! Don't get near him again!" Violet called to the air, not even knowing if her Pokémon could hear her. "Fury isn't like other dragons!"

"No, he isn't!" Tara grinned. With a sickened jolt Violet realized there was blood on her skin. "Because he belonged to Daniel Knight! You really think you're on the same level that he was? You're _wrong_, sister!"

Violet hated how right the younger girl was. _All her training, after all this time_. And she was still struggling to keep up with a single one of _his_ Pokémon. Pain struck her heart. She needed Indigo, or her journey ended today.

Her Froslass rematerialized behind Tara, murder in her pale yellow eyes. Her white bone mask was cracked, revealing deep purple flesh beneath. She raised her hands high, and Violet saw what she intended to do.

"No! Lassie, _stop_!" she shrieked, panic making her voice crack. Tara spun at her words, her eyes going wide as she saw the ghost that fully intended to kill her. But Violet was already running, her ground eating sprint closing the distance between them. She hit the younger girls shoulder, knocking them both to the ground an instant before ice and snow tore from the ghost's mouth in a blizzard of tearing pain, concentrated into a howling cylinder the width of Violet's waist.

The attack missed them both, but slammed into the Salamence above. The dragon keened high, shoved into the wall of swirling wind and snow surrounding the battlefield. He was pinned there for a full five seconds, the barrier behind him rippling wildly, until the attack died down, and Fury fell, crusted with snow and completely unconscious.

Froslass blinked out of sight, reappearing in front of the nearly dead dragon, her hands crackling with power as she prepared to give the finishing blow. Violet slipped on the slick earth as she tried to stand, barely even looking at Tara as she ran again, desperately fast.

She passed directly _through_ the ghost, and the cold was so intense she felt like her heart had stopped. Violet coughed as she hit the ground, great wracking heaves that felt like they would tear her apart. She spoke through them as best she could, her voice rough. "_No killing_. Not ever, do you understand?"

"_Weak, stupid girl!_" her Froslass said with surprise, the attack fading from her kimono-like hands. "_No holds barred. What on earth do you think that means?_"

Violet was silent, trying desperately to breathe. "Return, Lassie!" she gasped, before coughing up blood that sprayed across the ground. She shuddered all over, feeling like her veins had been filled with ice water.

The blizzard faded from the sky, and Violet realized just how dangerously cold it had gotten during their battle. She fought through the spasms, trying desperately to regain a semblance of warmth, relieved beyond words to hear Fury's breathing behind her, low and deep. _None of this was his fault_. Violet couldn't bear to see him hurt, even now.

Tara scraped painfully to her feet, wincing as she touched her skinned elbow. "Don't…don't think that changes things," she warned, her breathing hard and labored. "I'm still going to kill them all. Even that ghost."

"Yeah, I got it," Violet said, smiling wearily. "And I'm going to stop you or die trying. Same as ever."

"Nami!" Tara called, releasing the slick skinned Vaporeon onto the frigid field. She shook out her webbed frill, eyes as deep as the ocean. Her tiny body belied her massive special attack abilities, which had sent stronger opponents than her to their knees.

"Mr. Fin, let's go," Violet called, getting to her feet slowly. She wiped blood away from her mouth with the back of her hand, fighting the weariness that stole through her body. Blackness edged in on the sides of her vision. The red reminded her sharply of the death of her last partner, and a pain that had nothing to do with physical wounds stabbed at her.

Where was Indigo?

~o~

The forest blurred past him like a motion picture, dark and deadly, the fat moon taunting him from the long gap in the trees above. Indigo ran like he never had before, his Aura vision showing him the world a mile ahead at a time in dusky grey hues. Branches creaked ominously as he jumped between them as though he were the wind itself, scorning the pitfalls of the ground for flight.

_Violet!_

He could feel her Aura, as familiar as it was to him, despite the miles that still separated them. He felt her pain, and did not know the cause. Why, _why_, had he left her? He cursed himself for a fool, as the universe took its revenge for his selfish decision to leave her.

_Is this my punishment? Is this my reward for even thinking of leaving without saying goodbye?_ He nearly missed a step as the horror of her pain washed over his fine tuned senses like the tide. Heart pounding, he kicked his speed up to dangerous levels, leaping through the trees like a trained ninja, eyes fixed only on the path ahead. His wounds burned at him, reminding him harshly of his fire bath earlier, as his muscles screamed from the speed of his passage through the forest.

Indigo pushed the pain away with a burst of Aura, knowing that doing so would risk greater damage to his body. He could not afford to fall. Not now. Not before he had stopped her pain.

He felt like he had two hearts, two minds, as he felt every passing emotion of hers. Pain, sadness, and the horribly unexpected emotion of _hate…_ So focused was he on her aura, he barely noticed the tickling of another near her. He felt like destiny's plaything as he realized who that other was.

Tara was with her, and causing her pain. He did not know how, nor did he care. Indigo snarled, feeling more creature than human as he envisioned what he was going to do to her for this outrage. The forest whirled past him, and the wind cooled his burned skin.

He could see then, as his extended vision finally showed him the battlefield she was on. Deep gouges and patches of ice marred the smooth dirt, lit by bright lights that threw shadows every direction. Violet's Gyarados bared its fangs, hissing at a small darting form that melted into the puddles that littered the ground, always a step ahead. His scales were frostbitten and brittle, marred completely black in places. As he watched, the Vaporeon hit him with a point blank Ice Beam that had the serpent writhing in pain, frost cracking off his tortured body.

He saw Tara's childish grin, filled with excitement, Violet's tear filled eyes, and the body of a Lucario, savaged by claws. Its head lay a distance away, and he recognized her Ditto, changed disconcertingly into _him_, devoid of all life. He saw the haze of power around the Vaporeon's mind, changing its will, and the force field surrounding their battle that was quite obviously not Tara's. He saw, and rage built in him with a quiet determination, until power cracked across his palms, arcing between his fur and the spikes set in them.

Nobody hurt her and got away with it. No one in the world.

_Just a minute more, Violet_. _Just a minute more…_

~o~

It didn't take long for Mr. Fin to fall.

Her Pokémon were raised to be League Tournament level. They were stronger than ninety percent of trainers, easily. Daniels Pokémon were on another level entirely. They were, each and every one of them, trained to the horrifying extremes of a Champion.

It was a wonder Sabrina had been able to defeat even one of his Pokémon, really. If Domino and Fury had battled, she would have been utterly destroyed. Perhaps that was why she had trapped them both before they could fight.

Violet's fire had slowly dimmed as the long battle raged on, as Mr. Fin had taken blow after blow, until every movement was clear agony. By the end, her iron determination had faltered, replaced with sheer desperation. They fought for their lives, and it simply wasn't enough.

"Mr. Fin, Crunch!" Violet shouted, her own soul twisting with pain as he took yet another hit. _Hold on, Mr. Fin_. "To the left!"

Her massive Gyarados snapped Nami up in his crushing jaws, catching the surprised Vaporeon off guard when he struck where she would be instead of where she had _appeared_ to be. "Now, Fire Blast!" she said, her eyes tightening as Nami squirmed with pain.

Fire roared around the Gyarados's teeth, Nami clutched within them, her cries becoming louder as she struggled violently. Ice Beams sprayed wildly from her mouth, hitting the barrier dead on. Mr. Fin threw her, his neck cracking like a whip, and Nami finally fell still, after sliding hard across the rough dirt.

Tara returned her brothers Pokémon without a word. She easily reached for a third. Violet's heart was frozen in ice, especially when she took in Mr. Fin's battered, frostbitten scales.

"Please," she begged, her voice breaking hard. He couldn't take much more. "Please don't do this. I'll do whatever you want. I'll give up being a trainer, _anything_. Just don't hurt my friends."

Tara was silent for a long moment, regarding her with her dead brother's eyes. "I'm glad you feel that way," she said quietly. "I'm _thrilled_. This way you'll be hurt as badly as I was. Two wrongs do make a right, you see. I'll make up for his death with your own heart. You'll regret it, then."

"I regret Daniels death _every day of my life_," Violet breathed, agony in her gaze. "A day doesn't go by that I don't think of him. He was my strength, and my courage. You can't punish me more than I've punished myself."

Tara rolled her eyes, untouched by the display of sentiment. "Wanna bet?" she mocked, and threw her Poké ball carelessly into the air. "Tsubaki, use Giga Drain."

With a sound like boulders grating against each other, the Cradily broke from her Poké ball, her eyes strange and dead like all of Daniels Pokémon, tonight. Green phosphorous light hung in globules around her head, shining with an inner yellow light. The Cradily repeated its grating cry, and the globs of green life energy shot towards Mr. Fin like a bullet from all directions.

"Fire Blast, Mr. Fin!" Violet called out desperately, shading her eyes as the burst of flames engulfed the Giga Drain entirely, burning it away into harmless white ash.

"Ancient Power!" Tara cried, her dark bangs brushing her eyelashes. "Finish it!"

Rocks tore themselves free from the ground, clods of dirt still hanging off of them, suspended in midair by the powerful force of Tsubaki's will. Mr. Fin rose up to his full height, his blue-black scales gleaming magnificently He roared, accepting the challenge with the grace of one who knew the final hour was near. He struck forward in one, final attack, arcing towards the prehistoric monster with gaping jaws.

Violet covered her mouth, stifling her shriek as boulders pounded his body without mercy, one after the other, each with the force of a freight train. Tears flowed over her hands as he fell, hitting the earth with a massive thud.

"Finish him" Tara said simply, her eyes never leaving the field. "Ancient Power, Tsubaki."

Light flashed in a huge burst of visual stimulation, blinding Violet for a few precious seconds. Her heart felt as though it had stopped, and it wasn't until a long moment later that she realized the light had not come from the field.

Crack! Energy hit the outside of the containing field, sending shuddering ripples across its entire surface. Violet stared, barely daring to hope, as the silhouette of the one person who might be able to save her came into focus.

Roy Stryker gritted his teeth, shouting a silent order, and Strike the Zebstrika reared back, his mane glowing a fierce gold before his Thunder struck the barrier once more. It shuddered heavily, splashes of colors breaking out along its surface before fading entirely. Violet sobbed, because she had never expected to hope again that night. She didn't even care, for once, that he saw her crying.

Something broke in his gaze when he saw her face, an angry determination taking over his features. He removed two more Poké balls from his belt. As he did, the barrier took another hit, in a beautiful blue grey burst of aura.

Indigo stood with fury in his eyes and powerful aura swirling the very air around him, looking for all the world like an avenging monster straight out of a storybook. Violet's knees wobbled, the tears coming on stronger.

She had very good friends. Violet wept, because her friends were here, because one partner had already died, because another was on the brink of it, and because there wasn't anything either of them could do to stop it. She cried, because she didn't have the strength to do anything else.

"One Pokémon at a time,' Tara mocked, looking at Indigo. "He can come in when I'm finished here. Tsubaki!"

Cradily arched her head up to the night sky, her cry tearing out of her throat like it was lined with sandpaper. Boulders ripped out of the pocked field, and Violet's hope died. Too close, too late. Indigo shouted his fury from the outside, hitting the barrier with an Aura Sphere at the same time Roy's three strongest Pokémon attacked simultaneously.

She felt the electric tingle of the shield failing, just as the attack reached its full strength, tearing through the sky towards her unconscious partner. She broke when the boulders crushed Mr. Fins skull with a sound like a wet thwack, falling to her knees like a puppet whose strings had been cut, her hands covering her entire face as she cried like her life was over.

~o~

He felt the world stop when Violet fell. A small hole broke in the barrier, surrounded by the attacks of Roy's Pokémon, and Indigo alone jumped through, the tingling fire of the shield sending electricity down his spine as he came too close to the edges. The shield snapped together again behind him, trapping Roy behind.

He saw, through blue veiled eyes, as the bright aura of Mr. Fin guttered out, and felt the wash of agony from Violet that nearly bowled him over. He opened his eyes with a strangled gasp, unable to bear feeling her pain without risking it overcoming him entirely. The last thing he saw was her aura, fading and flickering alarmingly.

"Breathe, Violet," he begged, voice rough as he shook her shoulders. He didn't think she heard him. For one agonized moment, he thought that she was dead, too. She gasped, her body shuddering violently, and he sighed with relief as she began sobbing brokenly, hunched like the world had landed on her shoulders.

She was alive. He was grateful to his core for that small mercy. He hadn't been too late after all. Indigo sighed again, closing his eyes with a simple relief.

"It's okay, Violet," he said quietly, his hand on her shoulder. "Sleep now. I'll take it from here. You've done enough." He touched her forehead with a small burst of soothing aura, and she fell to one side. He laid her out gently, brushing a lock of hair out of her pale, tear stained face. He stood, looking at his unconscious friend for a long moment before whirling to face her opponent.

"I don't know what silly revenge you think you're taking," he said quietly, his voice cutting through the air like knives. "I do not care. It ends here. You've done more than enough damage, _child_."

Tara flinched as if she'd been struck. "Silly?" she repeated, growing angrier. "You think this is silly? I just killed her partners, and you're next! I'm not joking around here!"

He waited until she was finished, her breathing hard. He felt aged, as if the worlds' weariness had overtaken him in one fell swoop. "You're the first person Violet has not been able to touch with her words," he acknowledged, settling into an all too familiar stance. "Perhaps you require more than mere words, Tara Knight. I'm the same way. Actions have always spoken to me far louder than words. Battle me, and I'll understand you better than you could ever describe."

She laughed, just a bit too loudly. "I don't need to understand you, since you won't be breathing in a minute," she said snidely, her harshness at odds with her young age. "And you could never understand me. Not if you had a lifetime. Tsubaki, Earthquake!"

Indigo leaped into the air, picking up Violet as he did so. He went high, jumping off the psychic barrier to prolong his flight as the earth convulsed beneath him. He landed hard, crouched low to the ground, setting his trainer gingerly to the side once again. "I struck a nerve," he remarked, causing Tara's face to twist with ugliness.

"Tsubaki, Ancient Power! Follow it up with a Giga Drain!"

Indigo stood silently, watching the powerful boulders rip out of the earth, lined with power. For all his anger in coming to this place, he felt strangely resigned now. There was too much anger and hate in this world. There was no need for him to add to it. No, Indigo just felt tired, as he was faced with mindless destruction for yet another time. How long could this continue? With this much senseless hate, it was a wonder the world kept spinning.

He flickered out of sight before the boulders could hit, landing on one of them already in midair, crouched low with eyes tightly shut. It swung through the air, and Indigo leaped to another that swung underneath him, as his previous perch collided with a third boulder. Childs play. The world was perfectly clear around him, and Indigo saw the Giga Drain coming before the Cradily had even released it. He leaped up high into the air, his palms together as a whirling sphere of power coalesced in front of them.

Blue fire erupted as he released the Aura Sphere in mid-air, silvery whirls and a nimbus of power falling in its path as it struck the Cradily head on. It shrieked in a cry that belonged to another time, and Indigo could hear the double timbre to its voice, Tara's untrained psychic power leaking through.

Cradily was in pain. Tara did not have the knowledge to use her strength for anything but brute force, and it was hurting her Pokémon. Her gift was barely brighter than the aura of her partners, nowhere near the blinding star of Sabrina's pure cosmic ability. She had only enough ability to cause pain.

"I don't envy you your curse," he muttered under his breath. She reminded him of himself, before being sent to the future. So full of anger and hate. She truly believed she was doing the right thing, although she appeared a monster to the rest of the world.

His eyes went wide as he saw yet _more_ boulders flying towards him from the ravaged earth below. Cradily roared out its cry, filling the air with projectiles, still conscious after his strongest attack.

_Daniel really hadn't been a joke_. Indigo spun as best he could in midair, avoiding the first with inches to spare, firing another Aura Sphere at another to drive himself backwards. More and more came, of varying sizes, and Indigo wondered how on earth the Cradily could use the attack simultaneously so many times.

He used the shield again, shoving off of it directly towards the ground, just as another boulder exploded against the barrier behind him, showering him with stinging slivers of rock. His speed increased as gravity took a hold of him, shooting him towards the rest of the attack with no more places to hide.

He didn't have enough time for a real attack. And he couldn't dodge them all. He gathered strength to his palms anyways, releasing a burst of glowing aura at the first projectile without hesitation, snarling deep in his throat as he fought with everything he had.

One and then two of the massive stones hit him, one after the other, with crushing force. The breath was knocked from his lungs entirely, and pain lanced through his entire body like he'd been shocked. Indigo spun through the air, hitting the _stupid_ psychic barrier one final time before striking the earth below.

He winced, dragging himself slowly to his legs. His eyes went wide as a Giga Drain hit him immediately afterwards, glowing green and deadly. He cried out once as the power took over him, leeching life from his soul with a thousand needles, his body suspended in midair in the half liquid ooze. When it faded, he fell to his knees again, inhaling painfully at the sheer strength of the attack.

He hit the ground in a roll no more than a second after that, as more stones crushed the area his body had been moments before. He looked up just in time to see Tara throwing a red and yellow berry to Cradily. She caught it in her jaws, crunching it loudly, before firing _another_ Ancient Power at him.

Indigo was on his feet in an instant, racing along the outside of the field with his arms outstretched behind him as rocks shattered against the rippling barrier in his path. He leaped, dashing in close to the Cradily, firing a massive Dragon Pulse that had the creature convulsing with pain.

He didn't let up, because to do so would have been suicidal. Two more Aura Spheres followed in the wake of the attack, hitting like bombs, exploding aura crazily in all directions.

Tsubaki shrieked with wordless pain before she fell, hitting the earth with a crack. Tara stared with wide, disbelieving eyes as he straightened, whipping the excess aura from his arm with a contemptuous jerk.

"Next," he commanded, turning sharply to face her. "Or are you done, young one?"

Tara gritted her teeth. "Not by a long shot," she snarled, reaching for a dull pewter Poké ball decorated with midnight blue. "Toph, I choose you!"

A massive Pokémon the color of red stone burst onto the field, as powerfully built as a mountain. Indigo did not recognize the Pokémon. He did not much care. Without missing a beat, he struck with his greater speed, hitting the creature with an Aura Sphere that would have leveled anything less well trained with a single blow.

"Rhyperior are tougher than that," Tara grinned, her eyes lighting up. "Bull Doze, Toph!"

Indigo's eyes just had enough time to go wide as the Rhyperior struck at him with crushing limbs, moving with speeds he hadn't thought possible for such a large creature. It hit him in the chest, just below his spike, and Indigo felt ribs snapping. His mouth opened involuntarily, blood spraying out. The attack seemed to last a lifetime before he was shot from the site like a bullet, bouncing painfully across the ground.

He got to his hands and knees before the next attack came, and Indigo threw himself to the side, rolling and coming to a standing position in the same movement, firing a liquid Dark Pulse that crackled in the air, shrieking with the pain of a thousand souls.

Rhyperior took the blow without flinching, and Indigo was forced to use Detect, slamming his fists together just in time to repel another crushing blow. Every breath was torture as his chest screamed at him, and Indigo knew with a horrible certainty how Violet had been _losing_.

"So how's the understanding coming?" Tara retorted dryly as Rhyperior struck his barrier again, nearly breaking him. "Have any deep insights into my soul?"

"As a matter of fact, _yes_," Indigo gasped, firing a weakened Aura Sphere as the massive Rhyperior hit him with a glancing Double Edge. He danced away, barely under its swinging arms, only to jump over its tail. Indigo retreated hurriedly, seeing the danger of being anywhere close to that _thing_. "You don't hate Violet at all. That part is a lie."

Tara stared at him with utter disbelief, before breaking into laughter that had her doubled over, clutching her chest. Her Rhyperior stopped its attacks, staring at its trainer with confusion. "Y-you think that I don't….oh my gosh, are you _serious_? No wonder Violet does the talking. You suck!"

"I mean it!" Indigo growled, irritated. He stopped too, looking directly into her laughing eyes, until her spasms had died enough for him to speak. "I'm not good with this sort of thing," he admitted freely, his words nothing but truth. "I am, however, very well acquainted with the emotion I see in _your_ eyes. You don't hate her, no matter what you've tried to convince yourself. It's you that you hate. All these years, you've hated yourself."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Tara said flippantly, but a flicker of uncertainty had passed through her eyes. "Violet caused his death. Why wouldn't I hate her, idiot?"

Indigo growled. It was like speaking to an invalid. Had he ever been so blind? "Violet did no such thing, as you well know. She did not raise her hand and cut his throat. Why do you treat her as if she did? If anyone, you should hate Sabrina, the psychic witch who delivered the final blow."

"Enough of this," Tara snarled. "Toph, finish him."

"So why Violet?" Indigo continued, flipping _over_ the Rhyperior as he dodged a Giga Impact that sent it reeling in the other direction when it missed. His focus remained on Tara. "Why does it have to be her fault? What happened to make it that horribly important for her to be the one to blame?"

"You're spouting nonsense," Tara shouted angrily, her eyes flashing. "Just shut up!"

"I will not!" Indigo retorted with fury of his own. "_You_ made this my problem, child. You and your insane vendetta hurt someone I care for, and _that_ is unacceptable. You will hear me out! Tara Knight, why do you blame yourself for your brother's death?"

"Shut _up!_" she howled, and a mad storm of psychic energy swirled the air around her like a typhoon. It ripped up dirt and stone from the training field, a keening whirlwind of raw strength without control. "I do _not_, I _don't!_ Violet made him take that battle, it was all her!"

Indigo was not terribly impressed with her psychic tantrum. He thought of Riza and snorted. His princess made this girl seem like a kitten when she lost control.

Something in her eyes snapped at his amusement. "Toph, kill him," she snarled, her voice echoing strangely, her fury making the ground break in jagged spikes. "I've gotten bored of playing with this one. Kill him now."

Her Rhyperiors eyes had bled a glowing light blue as her out of control psychic powers held its mind in a grip like a vice. It roared with wordless fury, attacking Indigo with all of the pent up rage of its master. It was child's play to dodge, with its mind so horribly clouded by her power. "Tara Knight, why was it your fault?" he snarled, forcing her to hear. "I know what self hatred feels like, and it is as clear in you as daylight itself!"

"It was Violet," Tara shouted, her child's body levitating a few inches into the air as her own eyes shot blue. "Her _fault_. Her fault…" she moaned the last words, pressing her hands to her head. Indigo's voice went a little softer, seeing how much her own abilities hurt her. She needed control, or she would kill herself.

"It has to be her," Indigo finished quietly, his voice barely discernible over the sound of cracking earth. He knew that she heard him as he continued. "If you do not blame Violet, you would have to look to yourself. That's why you held onto your hate for so long. That's why you wouldn't accept her innocence even when she explained her role. It _had_ to be her. Or else…it would be you."

The psychic shield encasing their field shattered into a thousand pieces around them. Tara Knight's eyes were wide and unsure, like the child's eyes they really were, and another rushed onto the field. Indigo was aware of the familiar Alakazam being knocked out, dropping its shield around their match, but only on the peripherals of his mind. Somewhere behind him, Roy ran to Violet, still out cold on the earth.

Something broke in Tara's gaze when Roy ran to her enemies side, as though she couldn't stand the idea of anyone not hating the focus of her world. Tara turned her empty eyes to Violet, and her mouth twisted with anger. Toph arched her head back towards the stars, screaming as Psychic energy filled her body with raw power, flowing in like water from every scrap of Tara's remaining power. The Rhyperior turned towards his unconscious trainer, lumbering into a run that could crush a bus.

Roy was shouting something, as he flung Violet's arm over his shoulder, lifting her as best he could. They would never get out of the way of a stampeding Rhyperior in time. Indigo whirled, planting his feet as he fired a massive Aura Sphere with all of his emotions behind it at the Pokémon's back. It hit with a noise like a thunderclap, but the Rhyperior lumbered on, barely missing a stride.

Indigo's crimson eyes went a little wider at his opponent's massive strength. With barely a pause, he fired another, bigger than the first, a glowing sphere of shining blue the color of starlight, that spun and danced madly, before hitting the Rhyperior in the same spot with a resounding crack.

It was like he had thrown a pillow at it. Indigo gave a wordless shout of desperation, aura singing his fur as he fired his most powerful attack again. And again, without as much as a pause.

The fifth Aura Sphere was the one that finally sent the Rhyperior to its knees. It groaned, crashing against the earth like a felled building, skidding through the dirt heavily. Its head was a bare four inches in front of Roy and the unconscious Violet when the behemoth finally came to a stop, settling into the ground like stones just after an avalanche that gouged a hole out of a mountain.

Indigo exhaled sharply, lowering his hands as his heart thundered in his chest. Violet stirred, groaning faintly.

His heart twisted at the pain she would remember when she woke up. _Now wasn't the time for that_. He turned back to Tara, who was at that moment nothing more than a broken girl, crying on the ground. He knelt next to her, his eyes full of pity. Her energy spent, her anger destroyed at the roots, Tara Knight was just a little girl again, finally crying over her brother's death, nearly three years ago.

"I-I didn't know what it was," she sobbed, not looking up at him. "It was the first time I had a feeling about something, like I knew what would happen in the future. But I…I didn't…"

"You saw what would happen to him," Indigo finished gently. "You knew. Your psychic gift was just strong enough to give you that feeling. But you thought it was nothing. How could you know that what you had seen would really happen? When it came true, it must have killed you. Like it was you who killed him, because you didn't speak up and save him."

She curled in tighter on herself, sobbing. Karo put his hand on her shoulder, and Indigo really noticed his presence, despite sensing his Alakazam earlier. He snarled quietly under his breath, meeting the orange eyed man's gaze with fury.

But Karo met his gaze squarely, and without remorse. Indigo's anger deflated. He had had nothing to do with this. Somehow, by some cruel twist of the universe, these two had met against every odd. But it had not been Karo's doing. Not this time. He had assisted her, but not out of malice. Indigo gave the man a dark glare, but turned away, walking towards his trainer.

Roy set her down on the ground, carefully, his Pokémon crowded around with worry in their eyes. Violet stirred, her eyelashes fluttering. A ghost of pain passed over her dreaming features, and she sucked in a breath, her eyes scrunching together.

It wouldn't be long before she woke up. Indigo looked without a flicker of emotion at the bodies of her partners. She would see them first. He knew without asking that they were beyond any mortal help. Violet would die from this.

He did not want to see the look in her eyes when she woke up. There was one way he could think of to avoid that. He stood straighter, addressing the still air. "Celebi," he called clearly, his eyes scanning the darkness. "I need you."

It only took an instant. Green light flashed, in time with the sound of discordant bells, and the wide eyed legendary was back, looking at him curiously. "_You've succeeded,_" she acknowledged, her eyes crinkling up as she smiled. "_I can travel uninhibited again. You've prevented the old future from coming to pass. Well done!_"

"You owe me," he growled. "You owe me one favor."

Celebi nodded wordlessly. "_You wish to go back immediately? Before your friend even wakes up?"_

He looked at Violet, and pain twisted his heart. "I can't…" he broke off, growling. "I can't look in her eyes after this. I am not _capable_ of seeing her pain."

"_When you leave, she'll be hurt worse,_" Celebi pointed out, circling him curiously.

"You don't think I know that?" Indigo said impatiently. "Enough. You will hold up your end of the bargain, _legendary_."

Celebi looked at him, but brushed off her concerns. "Very well. Hold on, time walker. I will return you immediately."

Indigo's eyes went wide with surprise. "What? No," he growled, stopping her. He pointed to Violet's partners, broken on the earth. "I want you to bring them back. You're the being of time. You _can_ do something like that, can't you?"

Roy froze, staring at the exchange. Everything was dead silent for several long moments as Indigo glared at the being of legends. Celebi laughed out loud, and the sound was like bubbling brooks and silver bells.

"_You've created an alternate time stream. It would be a simple matter to fetch those two from the old one before it collapses, and bring them here. The switch would be effortless, for _me_. Is that the favor you want, Indigo? Even if it means staying in the future a little longer?_

His eyes went soft as they looked at Violet, still caught in the effort of waking up. "Yes," he said simply. "For her, yes."

"_Then it shall be done_," Celebi smiled, her deep blue eyes soft. "_You are very kind. I'll let you in on a secret, as a reward_."

Celebi floated to Indigo's wide ear, putting her hands up to the sides of her mouth as she whispered her reward. He felt his heart soar, and suddenly Indigo felt the weight of the world slip off his shoulders. "You mean it?" he breathed, his eyes wide with breathless hope. "You're sure?"

Celebi nodded, smiling again. "_We won't meet again, Indigo. I'm glad I could share that with you before our paths fall away forever._" Violet stirred again, groaning as she struggled to sit.

Celebi watched her for a long moment. "_Take care of her_," she said simply. She raised her arms high, floating into the air, and with a drawn out cry the world was engulfed with shining green light, the legendary silhouetted in the center of the glow like a beacon.

Before everything went white, Indigo closed his eyes, and felt truly content down to the bottom of his soul.

~o~

**A/N: Ok, so I have a little bit of explanations here. I've found that writing is possible by...ahem...borrowing my brothers laptop. Also, this story will end in roughly twelve chapters, which will be about as long as the last three have been. Things will end, and quickly. I'll write other stories, which will probably be pairing and not OC. I'm actually rather amazed this story has gotten so much attention even though it's not a pairing. Holy flip, you guys, you're all awesome. :D (Yay for 200 reviews! :D)**

**Free cyber cookies for everyone! And you guys rock! ^.^**

**~K-tori out!**


	25. A Thousand Stories

**DISCLAIMER: I have yet to own my own company, let alone one as cool as Pokemon. Nothing belongs to me!**

~o~

Words could not describe how he felt that last day.

The last day before the end. The last day before they began the biggest battle of their lives. The last day he felt unsure about his own strength, and the last time he ever felt out of place in the future. His story had been a long one, hopelessly tangled, but with a core of strength through everything. But with this, he finally felt as though he belonged here, with friends he never would have dared to hope for.

The last day before the Pokemon League began.

Indigo opened his eyes, and he could feel the energy humming through the air like a physical force. He had never seen so many people in his life as he did then. They milled about in large groups, talking and laughing with each other like there wasn't any evil in the world. Today was a day of new hope and beginnings for everyone here.

Indigo yawned, stretching back out across his tree branch overseeing the largest part of the festival, high in the branches of the offering tree, littered with scraps of white that were written with wishes. His back was to the trunk, and even though he was so high up, he felt no fear. He knew he would not fall.

He wondered idly where Violet was. Knowing her, she was probably training, after that fiasco with the dress shops. Today was the start of the biggest tournament in the world after all, with trainers coming from _two_ regions to compete in a single Pokemon League. It would be the hardest thing either of them had ever done, and Indigo found he didn't feel any fear thinking of it at all. He felt a glimmer of anticipation build up in his stomach, and Indigo fought back a grin.

Tonight, the tournament pyre would be lit with the flames of Moltres, and the battle royale would begin. The pre-tournament festival was in full swing, and the eyes of the world from here to Kalos would be watching the events of the next weeks. Indigo settled down into his branch, slipping his eyes closed once more as he relaxed in the warm air.

This Pokemon League would be harder than he could have imagined. But Indigo didn't know that just then. He napped high in the branches of that tree with the sun dancing across his fur, as the world laughed beneath him.

~o~

Violet felt like an over dressed Barbie doll. All in all, it wasn't horrific. It wouldn't have been a big deal, if Roy hadn't been there to see it.

But then, Violet mused, wondering if she could commit suicide with the already nearly lethal amount of frills, most things ended up being worse when Roy was with her. He was the finishing touch on what was probably the most embarrassing situation since the pants incident.

"Violet, you look great!" Allison cooed, her ridiculously big eyes sparkling anime style. "It's perfect!"

Meanwhile, Roy sat in the corner, laughing as quietly as he could. She suspected he was tearing up. Violet shot him a dark look, trying to get his hair to fall out with her mind.

"It is hardly that bad," Indigo scoffed, reading her look correctly. She softened a bit. She was being a little harsh. After all, she didn't know much about dresses. The corner of her Lucario's mouth twitched, and his façade broke. "With that many ruffles you could be used as a flotation device. Most useful."

Groaning, Violet hid her head in her hands. "I'm changing," she announced, turning on one heel. Unfortunately for her, today she was actually wearing _heels_. Frills and lace went flying in the air as Violet hit the ground, raising a small cloud of sparkles and dreams of being a princess into the air. Roy's snorts turned into a full on choking fit, hid discreetly behind a storm of coughing.

"This is ridiculous!" Violet wailed from her seat on the ground. "What kind of a champion wears _frills?"_

"Aw, come on Vie!" Allison said cheerfully. "You can't fight in the biggest tournament of your life in _jeans_! Even I know that! Now come on," she said, her eyes lighting up in a way that was truly worrisome. "The next dress has _sequins_."

"Gah!" Violet gagged, cringing into the floor. "No sequins, _no sequins!_ You promised!"

"I crossed my fingers," Allison said with mock dignity. "You'll love it. I promise."

"Good luck Hikanashi!" Roy called out from the area outside the dressing rooms. Indigo shot her a pitying look as the doors shut behind her.

She was going to die here. Violet groaned. She would never see the light of day again after this, never get to eat another donut, and never get to punch Roy in the face again…

"Go strip and get back here," her spiky blonde friend instructed gleefully, pushing her into a dressing room. "You're gonna love this one Vie!"

Violet closed her eyes and counted to five. She had faced monsters and beaten impossible odds, probably saving the entire country in the process. She could handle one shopping trip with Allison. "Unzip me please? If you don't, I'm never getting out of this."

"Pansy," Allison grumbled. She followed Violet into the small room, undoing the six buttons on the high necked lacy nightmare, moving on to the clasps lining the zipper, untying the massive bow on her waist, and finally unzipping the monstrosity. "You should have seen my sister's wedding dress if you think this is bad."

"I don't wanna!" Violet shuddered, feeling like a little girl's much abused doll. Allison's laughter called back to her as she shut the door behind her. She cringed at her reflection, and the masses of ribbons and sparkles that were Allison's idea of an outfit to wear while battling in the Pokémon League.

The Pokemon League. Just a few hours away. She had dreamed of this her whole life.

"Just watch me, Danny," the dark haired girl whispered to her reflection. She laughed at herself, and felt her form get twenty pounds lighter as she slipped the dress off her shoulders.

"Violet, are you finished yet?" Allison complained impatiently. Violet could practically see her tapping her foot. "We have a _lot_ more to go before I'm through with you!"

The afternoon wore on. Indigo got bored after a few shops, disappearing into the crowds. Piper tried to escape several times, only to be dragged back by the ear by the ever loving and gentle Allison. Actually, the only ones who seemed to be really enjoying themselves were Allison, and disturbingly enough, Roy, who seemed to find the entire exercise endlessly amusing. Violet just closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and tried really hard to not jump off the nearest building.

"I'm all for more frills," Roy said, as they walked back to the Pokémon Center endless hours later. "Let's face it, Violet needs more of a figure. Ruffles help hide that."

"H-hey," Violet complained, her cheeks burning red. She wished that this were the most embarrassing conversation those two had had about her that day. She just couldn't win. Allison spoke over her anyways, completely ignoring her protests.

"As if! She _has_ legs, may as well show them off. If she weren't so finicky about showing more skin…"

Her blush redoubled, remembering a few of the outfits she had absolutely _refused_ to come out for. Allison had discarded many redundant things throughout the trip, like time limits, price limits, and basic modesty. She walked between her two advisors with a furiously flushed face, holding her bag with both hands in front of her. The ground seemed very interesting, she thought faintly, as their argument heated up.

"Why on earth _are_ you enjoying this so much?" Allison complained, sticking out her tongue. "I would've pegged you for a guy who would last five minutes tops in stores like those."

"My mom designs clothes, actually. But to be honest, I stayed because of the look on Violet's face every time you brought out a new dress," Roy informed her with a rakish grin. "_Priceless_."

Violet groaned, her head going down farther as her shoulders hunched together. Both of them laughed at her. She could feel Piper's wordless pity from behind. _Oh, Piper, my one true friend_…

A hand landed on the top of her head. Violet looked up warily, and Roy grinned at her. "Don't worry little Violet. We still love you, promise," he said solemnly, although the light in his eyes made her growl. "Be a good girl and you can have ice cream later."

Oh, how she hated him right now! Worse, infinitely worse, she really wanted ice cream! Violet glared at him in wordless fury, not trusting her voice.

"She's almost as old as you are, remember?" Allison snorted, despite her grin at his teasing. "Although if we adopted a kid, my first vote would totally be for her."

"Violet _is_ a kid," Roy said with mock dignity. "I will treat her otherwise when she looks like she's over fifteen, and not a moment before."

She was almost _seventeen_. Saying that would make her sound petulant though. Violet sighed, putting up with their good natured teasing all the way back to the double doors of the crowded Pokemon Center. Roy gallantly opened the door for her, and she glowered at him.

The Indigo Plateau's Pokemon Center was one of the largest in the Kanto, covering nearly half a square mile in total. The main lobby was filled with groups of chatting trainers, standing together in twos and threes, laughing and arguing with each other. Violet could feel the buzz of energy in the air, like a living thing. Potted plants towered nearly to the ceiling between rows of padded booths covered with cream colored leather, and a row of video call monitors lined an entire wall, most of them currently in use as trainers called family across the globe. The Nurses on duty beamed as they helped heal Pokemon and took care of their trainers as well, bustling to and fro with brisk grace. Violet sighed with relief, glad to be out of the heated air outside.

A group of giggling girls kept throwing glances at Roy. He grinned, eyes lighting up. "I'll be back later, ladies," he said, bowing to them formally. "Duty calls."

"Playboy," Violet retorted, rolling her eyes. "I have stuff to do as well. Mainly, finding out if the cafeteria has donuts. And stuff."

"I won't be long." Roy promised. "Save me a donut."

In the meantime, Piper was looking pleadingly at Allison. She sighed, waving her hand for him to go. He ran directly towards the bathrooms, nearly hitting several people. Violet wondered if _that_ was why he'd been trying to escape all afternoon. She winced feelingly.

A few trainers watched the screens facing three directions above, between the booths. A battle rerun was being televised, from the preliminaries earlier that week. _Ladies and gentlemen, this is a battle between siblings! Alyssa and Mark Angel, two of the strongest competitors of this year's preliminary round, are going face to face in a last epic showdown!_

She had never heard of them, but that was hardly surprising with how many trainers were entering this year. She watched with mild interest as their battle concluded, the win going to the younger brother and his Glaceon named Blizzard.

"Come on out, Lassie!" she called, turning away as another battle started, releasing her Froslass with a flourish. Her ghost appeared in a brilliant flash of cold yellow, floating down to eye level with an unconscious grace. She looked around at all the people with distaste, before glaring at her.

"No, we're not battling," Violet answered before the ghost asked, rolling her eyes. "It's not all about battling. This is something far, far more important. The real meaning in life, the answer to all questions in the universe, and so on. This is about donuts."

Her Froslass's glare intensified, until she felt as though she were being frozen solid with just a look. "_I've been alive for over sixty years, silly mortal. I've defeated demons, broken laws, and sent geniuses to their knees. You honestly believe that _donuts_ are going to impress me?_"

Violet thought about it. "Pretty much, yeah."

The Froslass sighed, kneading between her eyes with one dainty hand. _"Nikki never put me through such silliness,_" she grumbled. "_Lead the way, my trainer_."

Violet beamed. Allison stayed on her other side as they walked, well away from the Froslass that had once imprisoned her in a nightmare. She found a booth in the cafeteria while Violet ordered a box of donuts, with a little bit of everything inside. She returned with a grin, holding her prize like it was filled with gold. She released her Ditto and her graceful Kirlia, before sitting down herself.

Avery had seen donut boxes before. Her scarlet eyes lit up immediately, glowing with anticipation. She and the Ditto both oohhed as Violet opened the box filled with glorious wonder.

"I present to you….donuts," Violet said with a grin, before popping most of a powdered donut into her mouth. She groaned with unashamed pleasure as she chewed.

Froslass looked dubiously at the box of glazed sugar confections. She picked up the nearest donut to her, and for the first time in a sixty year lifetime, she tasted crème filled goodness topped with chocolate and little sprinkles. Crumbs stuck to the sides of her dainty mouth, and the demonic monstrosities eyes went wide with surprise.

Between the five of them, they demolished that box of donuts. It wasn't even a fair fight. The donuts stood no chance. Four sets of eyes followed Violet's hand reproachfully as she wrapped up the last donut in a napkin, saving it for Roy. She met their looks with a glare, setting the donut safely aside. If Roy didn't come soon, it might disappear for good.

"Return!" Violet called, and Ditto and Avery disappeared in a flash of light, completely satiated and sleepy. She looked at her Froslass with a grin. "So?" she asked, her voice full of expectation.

Her Froslass looked at the crumbs that littered the area in front of her. She wiped her mouth daintily with a napkin. "They were tolerable," she said haughtily, despite having eaten five by herself. Violet snorted, the sound turning into a laugh which she tried to hide. Her Froslass glared at her as she shook, with a look that could freeze _ice_.

"Return Lassie," Violet choked, calling back her partner with a grin. Allison nudged her. Violet looked up, seeing the group of three that was making their way directly towards the table they were sitting at. She had never seen them before, but there was a niggling sense of familiarity that she could not displace. She half turned towards them, confused, as they stopped in front of her.

The two in front were so similar they could have been twins. A boy and a girl, each had plain brown hair that would have made them ordinary if it weren't for the icy shades of their eyes, green and blue respectively, which effectively made them stand out among a crowd. Both wore new, fashionable clothes, but moved in them strangely, as if unused to the feel of the fabric. They stopped a little awkwardly, not meeting her eyes.

"Um…" Violet started, caught off guard. "Hi. Have we-"

"Caroline," the girl said suddenly, blushing a bit. "Er, that's my name. Hi. It's…I'm glad we could meet you," she said awkwardly, looking down. The boy sighed, took a step forward, and firmly extended his hand.

"Nick," he introduced, shaking her hand steadily when she stood up. His green eyes pierced her soul. "I'm glad we caught up to you, Miss Violet. We've never formally met."

"Hi," Violet said, releasing his hand. She was still confused. "It's nice to meet you two. Um…do you know me?" She hadn't thought of herself as _famous_. Maybe they had her confused with someone else? But no, the boy had called her by name…

"Sorry, we should explain," Caroline said, looking sheepish. Her pigtails bobbed when she spoke. "We're both applicants to the Pokemon League. You kind of saved our lives. A few months ago, at the Sea Foam Islands. You are Violet Hikanashi aren't you? We owe you, big time."

Violet's eyes widened with realization. These two were among those trapped by her Froslass for all those years, deep within the islands.

The twenty eight who were trapped had become known recently as the Frozen, a group of powerful trainers who had been suspended in time. She had never actually met any of them before today.

"We wanted to extend our gratitude, Miss Violet," Nick said, smiling faintly. "You saved our lives that day. You have our thanks, from the bottom of our hearts. My sister and I were encased in that prison for twenty five years. We could not leave without thanking you personally."

Violet blushed, words tangling up in her head. "I-I didn't…I mean…um, it wasn't a problem," she said lamely, still flustered beyond belief. Finally, she remembered the third trainer in the group, who was still standing behind the others. "Um, and you are…?"

The newcomer smiled at her, his hair a shocking bone white that stuck out in every direction. His outfit was outdated, a fashion from before her time, and unlike the others, he hadn't bothered to change it. His skin was a few shades darker than his hair, his eyes quietly amused as he met her gaze. Violet stopped, her forehead scrunching up as she tried, and failed, to understand why on earth he was looking at her like that.

The strange boy took two steps up to her, and pressed his lips to hers tightly, his hand moving behind the surprised girls head and waist before she could move away. Violet froze with absolute, bone deep shock as the unfamiliar sensation of his warm lips moved against her own, his encircling arms holding her firmly to his strong body. He released her after a few forever long seconds, his eyes never leaving her own.

"Um," Violet whispered faintly, her light eyes frozen wide with shock, and a blush on her cheeks.

"And some of us show our gratitude in different ways," Nick finished with disgust. "Try and behave yourself, Shiroba."

"Violet," the white haired boy said slowly, tasting the name, his voice low and melodious. He ignored his friend completely, never looking away from her. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Shiroba, but call me whatever you'd like. I'm afraid I didn't meet many pretty girls in that ice cavern. Certainly no one quite like _you_."

"_Um_," Violet breathed a little louder, her cheeks flaming red. "I…I…nice to meet you too?"

Allison was staring unashamedly with wide green eyes, her mouth wide open. The girl, Caroline, took up her slack. She cuffed her friend upside the head, glaring. "Shiro, you dope," she growled. "You can't just do that!"

"Indeed, how could I not?" he mused, staring at Violet with an intensity that made her take an involuntary step back. His gaze softened, and he inclined his head suddenly. "I'm sorry to have startled you, Violet. I can't promise that my behavior will _improve_. I certainly look forward to seeing more of that pretty face of yours. Especially in that color."

"I…I don't…" Violet said faintly, somehow, impossibly blushing harder. She felt like she was going to faint. "_I_…"

"Oy, Violet, did you save me that donut? Or did you eat all of them already?" Roy called, jogging into the cafeteria. "Sorry that took so long! I had a few numbers to write down after all." He stopped, taking in the atmosphere, looking back and forth between the group of Frozen and Violet's scarlet face. "What happened?" he asked with childlike innocence, his eyebrows going up. "Did someone break Violet?"

Shiroba looked her up and down, his lips turning up in a half smile. "Did I indeed? It didn't take much."

"I have to…Indigo, or something!" Violet choked out, grabbing her bag as she broke into a run, her face so red she was sure she was running a fever. "Nice to meet you!" she called out lamely, wincing at her eloquence, as she made her escape, leaving Allison, Roy, and the newcomers behind.

Heart pounding, she turned down the halls to the living areas of the Pokemon Center, running mostly blindly, her thoughts whirling around like a tornado in her confused mind. She almost turned down the second hallway which led to her room. But if Indigo was there… Violet cringed, and kept going, not knowing what she wanted, or where she was going, or who she was…

One thing was for sure. She did not want to see anyone she knew in the next few minutes. She really needed to calm down, to think, to _anything_, and-

Violet breathed out in a surprised rush as she hit something solid around the farthest corner, something that seemed just as surprised as she was, that caught her before she could fall. "Sorry, sorry," she apologized, her cheeks flaming. She looked up at the person she'd nearly knocked to the ground, and suddenly she froze, the words dying in her throat as what was left of her thought process ground to a screeching halt.

Lance the Dragon Master blinked at her once with surprise, setting her back firmly on her feet. He looked surprised, but not unpleasantly so. "Violet. It's been a while. Where were you off to in such a hurry?"

Or rather, that's what he was about to say. He got about halfway through before Violet swayed, fainting dead away in the middle of the hallway, having to be caught by the Champion of Kanto before she hit the ground.

~o~

"Mmmm….ngh…" Violet groaned, squeezing her lids tighter together. She was laying down, somewhere, and had she gone to bed? She couldn't remember. "_Donuts_…"

She opened her eyes blearily, trying to focus, and realized she was looking directly at a very amused Champion. "Welcome back," he acknowledged, eyes dancing. The Dragon Master was sitting in a chair next to where she lay, in what looked like a hospital bed, a white divider sheet behind him. The sounds of beeps and quiet breathing filled the air. A few Nurse Joy's spoke, somewhere behind the curtain, and had she just been talking about donuts in her sleep in front of the _Champion_?

"Wha…what…" Violet groaned again, sitting up quickly. She had been running…no, dress shopping, with Allison, and…something. And then everything hit her at once, and Violet swayed, feeling dizzy again. Had she been kissed by a stranger? "_Oh_," she said faintly, remembering everything.

Lance was waiting fairly quietly, watching her with faint amusement. He waited until she uncovered her face with her hands, before handing her a glass of water from the bedside table. She sipped it gratefully, focusing on taking deep breaths.

"Let's try that once more," Lance suggested, sitting back when he was sure she was alright. "It's good to see you again, Violet. How have you been recently?"

"I've been good, sir. Champion, sir. Um…" Violet cringed, feeling very insignificant. "I-it's nice to see you too, sir."

"Very good," Lance said, his eyebrows going up. He stood, his cape swirling around him. "If you're alright then…"

"Yeah!" Violet said, nodding a little too hard. The amused look was back in his eyes, but he turned, his hand on the divider sheet. "C-can I…" Violet broke off as he looked back at her questioningly. _Get yourself together_. "Can I ask you something, sir?"

He sat while Violet explained. For a while after, he sat still, deep in thought. "I see," he said at last, his hands steepled in front of him. "You want to know where Red was, during the battle almost six months ago."

"I just…" Violet sighed. She looked at her palms, before clenching them into loose fists. "Yeah. I do."

He sighed as well. "That's not an easy question to answer," he said simply. "Red has always been a distant leader. He never wanted to Champion in the first place, so no one was surprised when he left for Mount Silver. That being said, we have always been able to count on him when we needed his help. I can only assume that wherever he was, it was more important than the battle for Kanto itself. I trust in that with my life."

"Do you…think he's okay?" Violet asked, wondering at her own bravado in even speaking so informally to the Champion. But still…she knew she had only met Red once, but…

Lance surprised her by laughing. "Do not worry about him," he said. "Red is more than capable of taking care of himself. Now, tell me, Violet...are you going to win this league? Will you earn the chance to face the Elite Four?"

Violet cringed at being asked so directly by _Lance_ of all people. "I…I mean…there are so many…and…" she stopped, and took a deep breath, before looking directly into the Champions eyes. "Yes, sir," she said firmly. "I'm going to fight, and I'm going to _win_. Count on it."

"Good," he said simply, rising once more. "I look forward to it. Tonight the flame will be lit, and the world will be watching. Do your region proud, Violet."

~o~

Whistling streams of fire shot high into the dark sky, before exploding in brilliant reds, and gold, lighting up the starry expanse above with beauty and light. Indigo watched with a feeling he could not define, as the fiery bolts painted a dream before his very eyes. The crowd below ohhed and ahhed, cheering as the sky was transformed.

He had never seen anything like it before. The air was warm that night, like summer, and the festival was in full swing. The large grassy hill behind the Pokemon Center was covered with people, entire families sitting together on blankets as they watched the show. The stone coliseum was visible fairly close by, the scarlet flames of Moltres lighting the top like a beacon, edged with brilliant gold.

He remembered the moment those flames had been lit by the carrier of the torch like it was moments ago, and knew he would feel like that no matter how long he lived. Never had he witnessed something so filled with strength and hope for the future. Never had he witnessed such a living moment in time, practically a force of nature itself.

Violet nudged him, grinning, and Indigo rolled his eyes at her. "You were right," he said, partially drowned out by the crowd as another display burst across the sky. "I've never seen anything like it. I've never seen anything so beautiful."

Violet's eyes were bright and fevered, and her aura stood out from the crowd like the sun, although less searing, less destructive. Her light was a warm one, a strange, silly, and brave aura. It was as familiar to him as the summer sky. They had fought the first round in the Pokemon League before coming here, and the battles were like nothing he had ever experienced before.

Indigo's eyes glowed with reflected rainbows, sparking through the air. The Pokemon League was filled with worthy opponents, but he no longer needed to discover strength. He was not worried about being the best, despite it being the focus of his life a bare year ago. How strange it seemed to him, that just one year ago he hadn't known what it meant to be truly strong. He had been a stranger to such a simple notion as he now accepted as core truth. No one could be truly strong fighting simply for themselves. It was as impossible as trying to live forever.

Violet laughed at a joke Roy had made. Allison stared with breathless wonder at the sky, as entranced by the fireworks as a dragon looking at gold, Piper sitting near her with a small smile on his face. Violet's old friend Kylie had joined them as well, lying on the hill with her head pillowed on her arms, her blonde hair spilling around her in a wave. Three newcomers Indigo did not recognize had joined the group of friends as well, along with a boy with pale hair who hardly looked away from Violet despite the show above. Indigo did not much like the look in his eyes, but contented himself with watching from a distance.

Tara had fallen asleep, exhausted with the days battles, with her head pillowed in Violet's lap. The sight made his heart warm, especially with the look on Violet's face as she brushed her fingers through the younger girl's dark hair. It made him think that maybe there was hope for this world yet.

The fireworks exploded in a mad dance of colors as the finale tore through the sky, lighting up the faded smears of smokes from their short lived predecessors with vibrant life. Indigo's breath caught, and he stared at the sky like it held the answers to his quest within, just out of reach. He did not realize until a long moment after the finale ended, the sudden silence harsh on his ears, and he took a breath, feeling strangely light and out of sorts.

He had been here so long. Strange that he could still enjoy such moments, despite knowing he would one day be free of this time. Cheers rose up from the thousand people on that hill, and Indigo closed his eyes, smiling faintly. He had great hopes for this Pokemon League. Maybe here, he would find that final answer to his puzzle. The one thing he was missing, even after everything.

Kindness. What was it that he still did not understand? Despite being around _Violet _for so long?

People were standing, gathering blankets as they chatted, laughing together. Their group lingered, near the bottom of the hill, staring at the patterns of smoke in the sky, as people moved past them, returning to homes and cars, past the green expanse of grass. Volbeat and Illumise peaked out of the scattered trees, thinner than in the actual forest, half mile down the road, finally daring to light the sky with their own show after the explosions had passed.

Kylie stood eventually, giving her goodbyes to Violet. She laughed quietly, picking up her little sister as though she were half the age she really was, carefully so as not to wake her. Violet's smile was everything beautiful and warm in this world. He wished she never had a reason to look otherwise with all his soul.

The festival on the streets just a little bit below them was in full swing. Indigo smelled roasting cinnamon rolls, spicy dango, popcorn, and a thousand other festival foods wafting deliciously up from below, making his stomach growl. Red paper lanterns were strung between stalls and buildings, dotted with small white lights that blinked like stars between each glowing orb. The waning moon hung above, high above the dancing Illumise that lit the heavens in place of the stars hidden by the vendors' lights.

His muscles were loose and relaxed after the tough battles of the first round of the Pokemon League. The air was warm, and the night was perfect. He looked at the sky, and never wanted it to end.

"Indigo," Violet said, breaking into his thoughts. Her dark hair framed her pale features, which were dominated by her wide purple eyes, so familiar to him. She smiled, and the world shone. "We've got a big day tomorrow. Let's get some sleep."

Indigo nodded, rising fluidly before extending his arm to her. She grinned as she took his paw in her human hand, letting herself be pulled up.

The two strange children who could only have been siblings exchanged a look, unspoken communication passing between them. "Until later?" the boy asked, arching an eyebrow over his bright green eyes. Violet nodded, smiling shyly at them. The two left, walking together towards the festival below.

Indigo's crimson eyes narrowed when the third newcomer raised Violet's hands to his lips, his icy eyes never leaving hers. She blushed, seeming very confused and lost for words as he made his farewells. Indigo watched him as he walked away. "If you want me to, I'll kill him," he suggested contemplatively. Violet's blush deepened, and she waved him off hurriedly, saying something about laws and capital punishment, which he ignored. He would not stand for anyone treating her flippantly.

More interesting though, was Roy's reaction to that particular display. Irritation flashed across his features, and the formidable rookie slurped a little too loudly at his soft drink, looking away at nothing. Indigo took his rigid stance in, a little surprised. Perhaps Roy had grown a bit too attached to his trainer.

He would not stand for _that_ either. Maybe when Violet turned thirty.

He berated himself for being overprotective. Violet could make her own decisions in life. She was capable and free thinking. Twenty five was more than reasonable.

Allison yawned hugely, cracking her joints as she stretched. "I'm going down to the festival," she announced, cleaning her glasses off on the edge of her shirt. "Hey, Pippy, want me to win you a teddy bear? It'll be fun!"

"Y-you said that about water skiing," Piper Stryker said reproachfully. He sighed as Allison cheerfully ignored him, pulling him to his feet. Indigo rolled his eyes, moving to the side so they could pass.

They were one of the few still on the hill, now that most of the crowd had cleared. A few stragglers made their way down past them, laughing. Violet looked at Roy with a question on her lips, and he rose without comment. The three of them left together, walking towards the brightly lit Pokemon Center.

It was Indigo who noticed it first. His ears perked up, and he put an arm in front of Violet, stopping her from advancing. "Show yourself," he growled towards the shadows around the edge of the Pokemon Center. "I know you're there."

After a brief moment of hesitation, a figure broke free of the darkness. Karo Asuna took a few steps into the light, his hands held peaceably in the air. "I mean you no harm, warrior," he said quietly. "I want to speak to Violet, if I may."

"I'll tell you what you can do with _that_ idea," Roy snarled, murder in his eyes. "You can shove it right up your-"

"Why?" Violet broke in, honestly curious. Indigo didn't move from in front of her, his stance tense. She made an impatient sound, moving past him to stand in front of their old enemy. "Why me?"

He hesitated, but there was no flicker of deception in his eyes as he answered. He spoke the plain and honest truth, and that was the only reason Indigo did not break his ribs for a second time. "I want to know who you are. And how you can do what you've done and still say…sane." He shuddered on the last word, looking as though he would fly apart with the effort of saying it.

Slowly, Indigo's hostility faded, although his stance remained tense. But Roy was not half as easily convinced. "Give me one reason," he said dangerously, his voice low, "Why I shouldn't end your existence for what you've done?"

"Roy," Violet said with exasperation. "It's okay. Really."

Indigo had seen pain before. It was plain as it flashed through Karo's orange eyes. "Because I would welcome it," he said simply. The air remained tense, strung out like a violins string stretched to breaking, for another long moment. The electricity vanished as Roy's eyes met his, full of perfect, deadly seriousness.

"If you touch her, if you harm her in any way," he said quietly. "I will end you. You have ten minutes. And if she comes back even a _little_ bit distressed, I will make your life more painful than you can imagine. Is that understood?"

Karo nodded, accepting the terms of their agreement. He kept his gaze on the rookie until the latter finished glaring, turning away. "Don't go far," he growled, releasing his tightly clenched fist. "Be safe until you get back."

Violet seemed surprised by Roy's vehemence. She looked after him with wide eyes until he was out of sight. Karo looked at him, and Indigo narrowed his eyes, planting himself more firmly beside her. After a long moment the man sighed, accepting that he wasn't going anywhere.

A group of trainers moved into the double doors of the Pokémon center, laughing amongst themselves. Everything was quiet until they had passed. "Come," Karo said simply, turning away.

And after a moment of hesitation, they followed.

Violet paused before walking after Karo into the edge of the forest a few minutes later, but Indigo did not stop. The forest was not a danger to him, or her while he was with her. In fact, he thought it ideal. No one would bother them here. He was curious as to what the man had to say.

They did not go far.

He turned, slowly, as if a weight were on his shoulders. And he stared at them both with utter silence.

Violet shifted from foot to foot. "Er…Roy did give you ten minutes," she pointed out, a little awkwardly. Karo continued to look at her for a long moment, his expression almost utterly blank, as though waiting for something.

"Violet," he said, as though speaking the name for the first time. He stared for a few seconds longer, shaking his head back and forth slowly. "What do you see in my heart?"

~o~

Violet blinked. "I'm sorry?"

Her enemy finally showed a flash of impatience. He stepped forward, his movements almost violent, and Indigo tensed beside her, glaring. Karo did not seem to care. "What do you see in me? You befriend monsters. The cursed Kirlia, the homicidal Froslass, your Lucario. What do you see in them that allows you to accept them?" he took a ragged breath, his eyes a little wild and a little more desperate. "Am I beyond saving? Is there anything in me that shows any signs of goodness? If anyone can see it, you can, girl."

Whatever she had expected from this conversation, this was not it. She grasped to the one part she understood right away, narrowing her eyes. "Indigo is not a monster," she deadpanned, giving him her fiercest glare. "He never was."  
>Karo waved off her fiercest glare like it was a breeze. "Of course he was. I saw it from the beginning. I would have <em>used<em> that, given the chance. Your Indigo could have gone down either path, in the beginning. He chose yours."

She did not agree in the slightest, but moved on. "And Avery…she's just a child! Whatever Sabrina saw, it doesn't matter, because I'm willing to give her that chance. It is her _choice_, and no one should be able to take that from her. Lassie is the same. She has the choice to learn the right path, and forget her past ways. I believe she can. I don't _support_ the negative in them, but I know they deserve a chance to be better."

Karo sighed, running his hands through his hair. "_That_," he said. "That is what I mean. Effortless. You are such a child, in so many ways, and yet…I suppose it's true, that the simplest, most basic truths come from a child's lips. So uncomplicated. So _basic_. But then, perhaps as adults we forget that the simple answer is often the right one. What is there left in me that is simple, I wonder?"

She was silent as she considered his words, Roy's time limit never far from her thoughts. When she did look up, her violet eyes were completely, unashamedly honest. "You are a monster. You've hurt so many people, even before you were possessed by that Gengar, that no one could forgive you for what you've done. That Karo, the one I've seen time and time again, isn't worthy of second chances."

At her words, the older man clutched his arms hard, convulsing like he'd been struck by lightning. He tilted forward, so far he should have fallen, and the whole time he shook like a seizure patient. After a moment she made sense of the noise that came from his hunched form, like rasping leaves and coughing. He laughed, like it was the hardest thing he'd ever done, like every breath was torture.

"So that's it then," he said between his strange grinding laughter. "_That_ is what you, and every other must think of me. If you say it, it must be true. Words from a child, after all. _Hahaha!_"

"Yeah," Violet nodded, her eyes never leaving him, despite the unbearable sensation to look away from his demented glee. "That's what I've seen in you. That's something I know like I know the sun will rise. Monster. That's what you are."

Karo lifted his head, and Violet saw his features like it was the first time, his tousled golden hair, his high cheekbones made gaunt by the bitter hollows in his cheeks, his gleaming orange eyes, like looking into the death of a sunset. She saw it, and felt pity instead of the fear she had had that first time, when she had been a different person. He stood up and dusted off his shirt, and his eyes held a new, stronger bitterness in them.

"Thank you," he said, looking dangerous and strong, like his doubts had been burned away. "I needed to hear that from you. It is set in stone now. I know what I am. Words cannot hurt me again."

Violet shook her head slowly. "You don't get it, do you?" she said softly. "Accepting your faults is the first step towards fixing them. You _are_ a monster. But I can see in your eyes that you do not want to be. Isn't that right?"

It was like she'd shot him. Pain flashed through his eyes, and his resolve was gone as suddenly as it arrived. His sudden weakness sent a stab of guilt through her stomach, and Violet kept talking in a rush. "I mean, that's not _all_ you have to do, nothing is that easy, and it's true that a lot of people won't forgive you for your past, but if you can accept that, well, you're off to a good start, and...it's possible to change."

"It's said that people don't change. That is mostly true. But I believe that people, and Pokemon, can _grow_. Our whole lives, we never really stop growing up. To do so, to stop realizing what idiots we are sometimes, would mean we've _given_ up. That's something I can't accept. I don't think you've accepted that yet, have you?"

"To only see others faults, ignoring your own," Indigo broke in quietly, from where he'd been standing the entire time. "I know."

"What do you know of being a monster?" Karo ground out, clutching his arms tighter as he glared at her, as if he hated her for destroying his resolution so soon after giving it to him. "You've never _been one_. Have you ever destroyed something for the sake of it? Been a blind fool? _Killed_? You're so quick to generalize, yet you know _nothing_. It's easy to forgive the monsters of this world when you have no such sins yourself!"

Violet stopped, suddenly feeling like nothing more than the child he'd accused her of being. "I don't…I…" she took a breath, gathering her thoughts. "But you _do_ know. What it's like. Since you've been a bad person, isn't it easy to forgive others who did the same things?"

"It doesn't work like that, Vie," Indigo interrupted, shaking his head. "It just makes it worse. Knowing."

"The warrior speaks the truth," Karo affirmed, standing strangely taller with his despair, like it was all he could count on. "It's not _possible_ to look kindly on evil when it exists inside yourself, eating you away like the _plague_. Guilt is like a festering sore that rots away all thoughts of humanity."

And suddenly, Indigo stood straighter as if shocked. His crimson eyes went wide as though from horror, and suddenly her partner was clenching his fists together like he was in pain, hunched over like every cell in his body was rebelling against something.

"Indigo!" Violet cried out with alarm, rushing to his side. He growled low under his breath in an uninterrupted stream, and she hovered uselessly, not knowing what to do.

"Too _soon_," he ground out, as though he was in pain. "It's too soon!"

"Indigo, what's wrong?" Violet plead, feeling useless and scared, because this enemy she could not see. "Was it something I said? _Indigo_!"

He held out a hand so fast she was reminded forcibly how inhumane he was. When Indigo straightened, he moved slowly, with weary resignation and dread evident in every cell of his being. "It's not possible," he said with quiet pain. "True forgiveness isn't possible unless you've learned to forgive yourself. If you can't even do that, how can anyone look on weakness with tolerance in anyone else?"

"I don't understand," Violet said uselessly, staring at him without comprehension. Her Lucario stared at her tiredly, as light began to rise around his paws, glowing bubbles of silver and gold that illuminated the darkening forest with quiet warmth.

"Kindness, Vie," he said tiredly. "That's the secret to the truest kind of kindness. Understanding _exactly_ what weaknesses exist in others. And being able to forgive them, because you've already forgiven your own guilt. How else could it be done?"

She did not understand. And then she did, all at once, and the world fell away from her feet. Violet staggered, her understanding hitting her in the gut as her eyes went wide with something akin to horror. "I didn't…that's not something I…you did it. Indigo, you _did_ it."

His mouth twisted into a wry grin. "I suppose so," he said simply, never looking away from her features, like he couldn't bear to forget them. "Nearly two years I've been in the future. And I finally understand." His eyes flashed with pain, and Indigo knees hit the ground hard. He laughed through the spike of clear agony, the sound low and throaty, waving off Violet's immediate cry. "Of course it would hurt," he said quietly. "Why wouldn't it? It's just everything I know, going up in flames. No biggie."

"Indigo, I…" Violet suddenly couldn't speak. Tears gathered in her eyes, and she could hardly see through the grief. She was shaking, kneeling there next to her very best friend, as the harmless bubbles of light rose sedately around him. Somewhere, she smelled citrus blossoms. "I don't…we were just getting to be the best, together, and…"

"There are a thousand stories we could have lived. Together, just you and me, with all our friends around us," Indigo laughed, closing his eyes against the pain. "Our story could have gone on forever. And I wouldn't have minded. Not if we were together. All things end. Even if we don't want them to."

Violet nodded mutely, tears flowing down her cheeks without reserve. "You have another story to finish," she said, her voice breaking twice. "I get it. You have people waiting, for you, Indigo. I just-"

"I know," he said hurriedly, looking back up at her with something almost panicked in his eyes. "I get it, Violet. I really, really do. So this is goodbye. Once and for all."

Violet smiled at him as brightly as she could through her tears. It wobbled a little, but stayed in place. "I'll never forget you. I promise. I'll _never_ forget you, Indigo."

The little spheres of light increased, shooting up into the air with greater speed, as a circle of soft illumination glowed brighter beneath his form. Warmth spread, and Violet was reminded of the feeling of wistful summers past. She held a hand tight to her mouth as her tears came on stronger, flowing unabated over her hand.

"Would you like to know the secret?" Indigo said quickly, as though trying to distract himself. Her Lucario's red eyes shone a little brighter than normal as well, and his voice was rough. "Celebi told me that Riza survived. She's alive, out there, somewhere. She wasn't killed that day."

"That's great," Violet choked out, her words barely recognizable. She smiled through her tears, her breath burning in her throat. "It's great that you know that now. Go save your home. I-I'll hold down the fort here. Honest."

He was definitely having trouble with this. Indigo closed his eyes, taking in a long ragged breath. "Promise me," he said, as the light started to infuse his fur, little sparks falling from every sphere and shattering onto his form. "Promise me, Violet, that we'll be friends forever. No matter what."

"I promise," she said, her voice small, feeling like her heart was breaking in two. "My friend and partner, forever. No matter what, Indigo. I promise."

He breathed out, like a burden had fallen from his shoulders. Indigo closed his eyes as the lights swirled faster, accepting the end that this was for them. Violet saw this, and her chest filled with pain, as though her heart really was breaking.

This was the end for them. After everything, this story was their last.

Indigo would return to his true time, and she would never, _never_ see him again. This was how it should be. It had always been coming to this. His place was no longer with her, and Indigo would be gone.

His destiny lay elsewhere, and there was nothing she could do but say goodbye. The words burned in her mind, and Violet opened her mouth. Nothing came out, and pain stabbed her heart once more.

_Just say it_. Violet clutched his paw a little tighter with her hand, and tried again, but still no words would come. The lights shone like miniature stars, until they each rivaled the light of the sun, and Violet knew she was out of time.

And then, her words came. "No," Violet whispered, her eyes burning. She threw her arms around her surprised partner's neck, and the world exploded in white, as the forest disappeared around them both.

And then silence.

~o~

**A/N** Tahdah! I'm on a roll, like jelly with these things! Hahaha! :D I actually finished this yesterday, and was in no mood to get on the internet afterwards... Writing really drains my good moods. This killed me a little. There are a thousand stories I could have told with Violet and Indigo, but I couldn't drag this on forever. This thing is getting close to the end. It's a little scary, but I'm determined to make this as awesome as I can. Thanks for supporting this stupid thing for so long, and you guys rock!

~K-tori out! :D


	26. The King of Fire

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokémon, lalalala! If I did, Pokémon Bank would have been here _way_ sooner!**

~o~

He started out the conversation politely, considering the circumstances.

He slammed Karo against a tree, his fist twisted in the fabric of the other mans collar, murder in his eyes. Silence swallowed the thud against the rough bark; silence, because Karo had been alone in that forest. He had seen the pillar of light explode into the sky, seen hundreds of bird Pokemon taking off from the forest like a living cloud, and he had _k__nown_, like the knowledge had always existed within him, that something terrible had happened.

This was Violet after all. She tended to attract trouble.

"What have you done with Violet?" Roy demanded, near unreasonable fury in his voice, twisting harder. Karo's mouth twisted with a grimace, his toes lifting off the ground. Pure, instinctive fear filled his saffron eyes, a fear of death that disgusted Roy Stryker to the bone. For a dark moment, he toyed with the idea of killing him, his rage making his vision sharpen.

Karo Asuna was not the type to place value on anything over his own life. Despite all his pain, his regret, and self loathing, he was terrified of death. It showed in his desperate eyes as they read the expression on Roy's face. "I-I didn't-," he stammered, trying in vain to free himself. "She just...it wasn't me!"

"Unlikely," Roy snarled. "I'm losing patience, so I'll count to three. When I'm finished, you will tell me where she is. And if she is harmed in _any_ way..." he left the threat hanging.

"I...I..."

"One," Roy said, reaching for a Poke ball.

Sweat beaded on Karo's forehead. "You don't understand! The Lucario, it spoke of forgiveness, and then-"

"Two," he deadpanned, glaring at the older man harder. "Get to the point. What happened to Violet?"

Karo fell silent for a long moment. "I don't know," he said at last. "There was a burst of light. When it faded, she wasn't there. Her Lucario too. They are both gone. I don't know where."

His impossible words didn't register at first. She couldn't be just _gone_. Not Violet. "Liar," he ground out, his face twisting with fury, even though Karo's words had rung true in his heart. "Where is she? I'll search this whole forest if I have to!"

"Go ahead!" Karo hissed, matching Roys anger. "I have the answer I needed from her. I couldn't care less where she is now. She is gone, and you'll never see her again!"

Before he had finished speaking, Roy's fist connected with his stomach hard, anger fueling the blow with extra strength. He dropped the man contemptuously to the ground, where he gasped, wheezing for breath with his arms around his waist.

He turned away before Karo recovered, his eyes scanning the forest as though looking for clues. After a moment, he walked over to a scrap of fabric lying on the earth. He picked it up, dusting off the object until he knew what it was he was holding.

Violet's battered old baseball cap, stained with dust. He could still make out the pale blue and white it had once been, before it had been worn out to this point. She would never leave it behind. It meant too much to her.

Roy Stryker's fist clenched so hard his knuckles went white. There was no sound except Karo's labored breathing behind him in the darkening forest. Far away, people laughed and celebrated under yellow festival lights, unaware of the disappearance of his rival and friend.

He dropped the hand holding her abandoned hat, standing up straighter. No. He wouldn't let it end like this. He _would_ search the whole forest if he had to, alone if no one else would help. Despite his last years endless training, suddenly the Pokemon League was the furthest thing from his mind.

He would find out what happened here. He never should have left her alone in the first place.

Roy Stryker looked up at the sky, peeking out from between the branches high above. And even though he knew she couldn't hear him, he asked the question burning through his mind. "Violet," he said quietly, unable to stop his worry from leaking into his tone. "Where on earth are you?"

The sky above him had no answer to give.

~o~

The air twisted with colors. Strange sensations and images danced across each other, fighting and vying for attention, fading into nothing and appearing from nowhere. Maroons and pale yellows, tinged with the softest pinks and sickly greens, moved in patterns that could only loosely be called twisting, as discordant sounds, like snatches of conversations, half heard, echoed round the rushing and static and perfect silence that somehow managed to exist all at once. Sense did not exist, rationality seemed a distant dream, and it felt like it would tear her apart.

She was Violet. That single thought set everything into place, and she was aware of herself again, aware of her body, hovering horizontally in the air as though flying. She was Violet. The thought was stronger this time, and her eyes flew open. She had half a second to wonder how she had seen the chaos with her _eyes closed_ before she heard the sound that seemed to be coming from everywhere, from every sight and color, from every thought in her mind.

"_Traitor!_" the voice screeched, howling and ripping through every barrier that had ever existed, tearing and snarling like a storm given speech. The word hurt. Violet covered her ears as her own scream tried to drown out the impossible noise. Her head felt like it would break in two. Screaming didn't help. Blood dripped from her nose over her lips, as the word finally faded.

"I betrayed no one," a perfectly calm voice replied, as if the other _hadn't_ just tried to put his mind through a blender. So familiar. But not right. "Least of all you. If you wanted to condemn me as a traitor, it should have been before. This time I haven't done anything wrong." The voice paused. "Actually, it's a nice change of pace. Maybe I _am_ the hero of this story."

"_You are a _fool_," _the voice snarled, like rusty chain saws and bad dreams. "_Don't you know what you've done? You've brought a monster with you. Her destiny is soaked with the blood of hundreds. And you brought her _here_. Was unleashing a war between legendaries not _enough_ for you, boy? Was placing the entire _kingdom_ in the hands of a madman just a warm up for what's to come? People and Pokemon alike will die for this!"_

Violet cringed, wishing her head would stop trying to fly off her body so she could follow the conversation better. The feminine voice screeched again, snarling like a wild beast, and she curled into a tight ball, her hands still over her ears, as she tumbled through the strange vortex. Maybe losing her head _wasn't_ such a bad idea…

"Who, Violet?" the calm one broke in, incredulously. "You can't be serious."

"_The girl? Please,"_ the voice scoffed. "_She is nothing. Barely worth my time. She'll only be here for half the time left, anyways. I speak of the destroyer. The child of reheard sounds, once owned by a martyred knight. She is already steeped in darkness. Her mind is going, and when it does no words will ever reach her again."_

Silence, blessed silence, filled the air, and Violet nearly sobbed with relief. The lack of pain was a euphoria of its own, and she wondered giddily if this was a nightmare. Just a bad dream, nothing more, nothing more…

"Violet believes in her," the calm voice said at last. "That's good enough for me. And it had better be enough for you. Now," he said, and his voice was touched with anger, "-if you do not stop _hurting_ her, there will be blood. Do you understand me, fox?"

The snarls redoubled, but for the first time they did not cause pain. The tunnel of swirling colors sped up, a bright light winking into existence at the farthest end in sight. It exploded, growing brighter until they were enveloped by it, and suddenly there was complete and utter darkness, devoid of all sounds except Violet's breath, coming in and out.

"Are you sure you want her here? Bringing both of you will cost my strength. It is not too late to send her back." Nine ghostly tails, frosted with white flames, moved lazily through the air. The fox was beautiful, held together by what looked like mist, her crimson eyes regarding them with scorn, lit up like a volcano. Her voice echoed and shifted, but no longer sounded like that of an elemental god.

The figure facing her was tall, his hair falling nearly to his eyes. Shadows clung to him, barely displaced by the glow emanating from the fox before him, and she could not make out his features except for a vague hint of familiarity. He smiled faintly, his eyes hidden by the dark.

"I would not have it any other way."

Her crimson fire-eyes closed. "It will come with a price, Nightwalker. But very well. If she cannot pay it, then I suppose you'll die. That is fine with me. Your curse is broken, for once and all. Although I have half a mind to turn the girl into a Pokemon to make up for it."

Violet wondered what she would turn into if she _was_ cursed. She decided she didn't especially want to find out. She rather liked being human. Her head felt thick and muzzy. She felt distinctly like the outsider here. She felt the urge to contribute, something mysterious and prophetic sounding to fit in with the conversation.

"Ngh," she said. "Ow. My head…do they have donuts in the past?"

Both the shadowed boy and the wispy curls of smoke that made up the fox turned to look at her. "No need to curse that one," the fox observed, her voice echoing from a closed mouth.

Violet was a bit offended. She huffed, giving the Ninetales her very best glare. Its effect was lessened by the wave of dizziness that made her sway on her feet. She wondered what she was standing on. The Ninetales gave her an exasperated look, turning her head back towards the boy.

"I warned you," she said simply, and Violet marveled again at the beauty of her voice. "We'll speak again soon. You're going to give me…a favor. But until then." Her tails twisted through the space, passing through each other where they should have hit, and the light from her crimson eyes intensified, glowing like twin suns. Violet stared, entranced, as the light seemed to draw her in.

The fox turned her head abruptly, looking directly at her with shining eyes. "_Sleep_," she murmured, and Violet remembered no more.

~o~

When he opened his eyes, the world was green. Indigo blinked, trying to focus his vision. Everything remained frustratingly blurred, like he was looking through a scratched lens. He smelled citrus blossoms and the utterly unique smell of summer. Warmth danced across his skin, and it took him a long moment to recognize it as sunlight.

Where was he?

A Pidgey called, somewhere to his right, a wordless cry that sang through the whispering winds. It was answered by another, and Indigo struggled to sit with limbs that didn't want to respond correctly. He growled under his breath, but the sound was different, far less harsh and guttural. He felt clumsy, weighed down.

The world looked different, in a way he couldn't explain. It was more than the blurred lines, and the weakened sensations. Living things seemed flat, almost 2D. He struggled to find a memory, something to orient himself with, and that was when he saw her.

Her dark hair was mussed, like she'd been asleep for a long time. She yawned sleepily from the grass, rubbing her beautiful violet eyes, as deep as the ocean and impossibly big. Her face was flushed like a child, and Indigo smiled slightly as fondness washed through him. He knew this girl, despite the strange flatness of everything else. His brave Violet.

Naturally, everything hit him just then, and he doubled over, hissing under his breath as memories assaulted him. He saw the forest, felt his heart break, the flash of light, the time stream, and the dire warnings of the fox. He saw it all, remembered his pain, like an arrow to the side, and endured it all. When at last the memories faded, subsiding and shrinking until all that was left was the sharpness in his gut, Indigo saw Violet again with new eyes and realized what her presence meant. And then, one final thought hit him, and Indigo looked down at his hands.

His _human_ hands.

"Oh," he said faintly, suddenly overwhelmed with sensations. "_Oh_."

"Indigo?" Violet whispered, fighting back another yawn. "I had the strangest dream…you were there, and Roy, and Karo, and-and I think there was this creepy fox…"

"_Creepy_," the Ninetales said flatly. From just beside them. Violet shrieked, falling back to the grass. The Ninetales narrowed her solid red eyes, before turning away with a huff. Indigo struggled to focus his uncooperative eyes, squinting as he tried to make out the fox, but she seemed ethereal, almost see through.

"_I'm not truly here, boy. I'm still in that infernal Poke ball of Kaya's_," the powerful Pokemon informed him. "_I should have just enough power left to keep you stable for a few days."_

"What are you talking about?" Indigo asked, giving up on focusing with his impossible eyes. He felt little tingles of electricity dance across his skin. When he looked down, little flecks of golden light were falling out of his new form, reminiscent of the lights that had brought him to the past. He felt tired, hungry, sore, and very, impossibly _alive_. It was the best feeling in the world, and he savored it.

"Indigo," Violet said faintly. Her eyes had gone huge as she stared at him. "_Um_."

Indigo choked back a laugh, leaning forward on his knees so he could reach out a hand to the fallen girl. She took it without thinking, her eyes never leaving his face as he pulled her up. She continued to stare. "Is it that bad?" Indigo asked, a little self-consciously, tugging on his hair. It was longer than he remembered, almost to his eyes. He had the sudden urge to see his features again, to remember his old face.

"N-no," Violet assured him hurriedly, shaking her head back and forth, her eyes still locked on him. "Not bad. At all. Er. Just…different," she finished lamely. "Very, _very_ different."

He thought about that for a minute, finally deciding it was a compliment. "Thank you," he said regally. "I know I can't look as good as your Mr. Fin, after all, but I try."

It worked. Violet giggled, breaking into a hesitant smile. He grinned back, to show her he was still the same person, and they were friends again.

They were together. In the past. Indigo's grin became exultant as he realized the possibilities. Together, they could do anything. Tero didn't stand a chance. They would restore balance to his world, find Riza, and set everything back to how it should be, and then-

His mind went cold. And then…nothing. Violet _couldn't_ go back to the future. She had given up her entire life for his sake. Without the slightest hesitation, she had followed him, and _she_ would be the one to suffer for it. He felt sick as he realized the depth of her sacrifice.

Pain stabbed his side, and Indigo's breath caught. He doubled over, clutching the site of the unexplained agony, and heard Violet calling his name.

_Something wasn't right_.

He lifted his head, his vision blurring, as the last of the gold energy faded into nothing, leaving his body forever changed to the form he had been born with. Cold sweat beaded his skin, and darkness crept in on the sides of his eyes. Understanding hit him, not half as painful as the wound in his side, and Indigo lifted his shaking hands from the source of the pain.

His hands which were covered in blood.

"Y-you _stupid_ fox," he gasped, with surprised fury. "I'm still…still dying, aren't I?"

"_I'm afraid so_," the Ninetales shrugged, completely nonchalant. "_That wound is fatal. It was when I cursed you after all. I told you my energy would be stretched thin if I brought two back. This is the result. You have maybe ten minutes before you die."_

Strangely enough, his first thought on hearing this was horror for Violet's sake. She couldn't be trapped here _alone_. It wasn't right. Who would protect her from her own idiocy if he wasn't around? He struggled to stand, to fix this somehow, to do _anything_.

The Ninetales rolled her eyes. "_You're going to injure yourself further. Rest, for now. Don't worry. If you never wake up, chances are the girl will be dead too, from trying to save you._"

His glare intensified until he was sure it would burn the Ninetales alive, but the creeping darkness filled his vision, and Indigo knew nothing.

~o~

Indigo was invincible in her eyes, but he could still bleed.

Violet's heart felt like it would stop. Her entire body felt the whispers of coming pain, and froze with absolute dread that threatened tears. _Not again_. She couldn't see her best friend die _again_! How much pain was one person allowed to bear? Her breath came, short and fast, and Violet felt like _she_ was dying.

"_Relax_," the fox ordered with plain irritation. "_I can keep him suspended for a few days. Didn't I tell you that already?_"

"But…even with a few days, I don't know how…I can't…" Tears were definitely threatening. Violet's eyes swam, and any anger she might have felt at the horrible turn of events was swallowed by her sudden fear. "I don't know how to help him. I'm _not_ a doctor."

"_To be honest, I doubt any doctor could save him right now_," the fox admitted. "_He's lost a lot of blood. Maybe the king of fire could do something, but I sincerely doubt he'd help. Oh, would you pull yourself together? There is one hope._"

Violet wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "What is it?" she demanded, her eyes intense. "I'll do anything."

The Ninetales looked at her with amusement tinged with a distinct, unnerving malice. "_Legends tell of a mystic item, which contains the soul of healing. It is said to be capable of healing any wound. Bring it to me, and Indigo will live. There is only one that I know of, however, and it will not be easy to obtain."_

A glimmer of hope caught fire in her chest, and the fear receded with the possibility of a cure. "Where is it?" she asked, staring intently at the ghost image of the fox. "Indigo told me about this place. I think I can find my way around." Maybe.

"_Yes, I know. The item is known as a Blissey Song. The only person I know to have owned one…was Queen Analynn. It should be inside the castle still."_

Suddenly Violet remembered what the fox had said earlier, about her dying while trying to save Indigo. A horrible thought dawned on her. "Hey…where is Doctor Ca…Tero, right about now? You know, the evil creeptastic villain guy?"

The fox_ did_ grin then, baring her sharp fangs. _"Why, I believe he's in _his_ castle, ruling this country through terror and fear. Is that a problem?"_

Violet gulped, trying very hard not to remember the horrible stories Indigo had told her about the man. "No," she said faintly. "Not in the slightest."

~o~

"Oh no, no problem at all," Violet growled, glaring at the starry sky as the ground flew by beneath her. "Just infiltrate the castle of a creepy overlord villain who likes killing things for fun, _steal_ from him, and get out alive. Oh, also, don't let anyone find out you're not from this time. That could be dangerous. What on earth could go wrong?"

"Geo," her Ditto turned Pidgeot agreed, tossing its feathered head. Violet sighed, her head falling forward. She pressed her mouth tight, fighting the urge to bite her lip, missing Indigo terribly, and worrying even more. She would do anything to help him. Anything. But…

"I wonder how everyone is doing back home," she sighed, feeling wistful. "Kylie and Allison will miss me. Piper and Tara too. I wish I'd been able to finish the Pokemon League, you know, before. I wish…I wish I'd been able to do a lot of things."

Her Ditto cocked its head back, looking at her questioningly with the eyes of a predatory bird. "Am I missing someone?" Violet asked, raising her eyebrows. She thought for a minute. "Well, there is Nick and Caroline. A-and…Shiro." She tried very hard not to blush. "But we _did_ just meet. I don't know. I think we could've gotten to be friends. As long as he didn't make a habit of kissing strangers."

Her Ditto tilted alarmingly, nearly throwing her off, before straightening, glaring at her. "Oh, you mean Roy?" Violet asked, laughing at her partner. She went sober, and sighed. "He won't even notice I'm gone. So I'm not worried. About him, I mean."

She straightened the strap of her backpack, peering ahead, past the dark forest that stretched beneath them. "Is that the castle?" Her Ditto let out a keening affirmative, wheeling closer to the tops of the trees. Violet's eyes went huge. "Wow," she said faintly, as the building came into view, still silhouetted by shadows.

Halladen Castle was massive, built from solid stone, and reaching high into the sky. Lights in the thousand windows were the only reason she _could_ see it during the night, against the hulking mountain that dwarfed the landscape. She had seen larger buildings. She'd lived in _Saffron_ after all. But this…

"Hey, Ditto? It's just because there aren't any bigger buildings around. That's why it looks so…right?"

Her partner gave an uneasy cry that might have been agreement, skimming the tops of the forest easily, flying low so they wouldn't be seen. Violet tugged on the end of her black t-shirt, feeling like a member of Team Rocket, dressed as she was. She had hoped dressing like a burglar would raise her courage. It hadn't helped. Her Ditto reached the edge of the massive forest, wheeling towards the ground in an arc. Violet jumped off, reaching for her belt.

"Return, Ditto," she said quietly, closing her eyes against the flash of light. She straightened, determination lighting up her eyes. For Indigo. "Guess it's on foot from here," she whispered to herself. She looked up at the castle, huge even with the mile or so between them, and gulped. "What could go wrong?"

Her heart thudded erratically in response, and Violet winced. The night was cold and surprisingly bitter; she held her arms tighter, shivering. Curls of mist reached for her from the shadows clinging to the edge of the daunting, silent forest, doing nothing to help the temperature. The horizon above the mountain ahead was bare shades lighter than the dark sky above, sprinkled with a tapestry of shining stars. It would be morning soon, and Violet knew she had to be out of the castle by then. She tried to remember walking into a more dangerous situation than this one, and came up blank.

But there was nothing for it. Violet swallowed her fear. "Come on, you baby," she muttered to herself. "It could be a lot worse. Honest."

Herself did not dignify that with a response. Violet let her arms drop, and set off for the thousand windows of the castle, hoping that the lights _didn't_ mean that everyone was awake.

She found herself retelling Indigo's story in her mind as she walked, keeping to the shadows through sheer paranoia. _Once upon a time, there was a boy who made a lot of big mistakes. He lived in a kingdom on the edge of war, but he didn't know that at first_...

That story was feeling very real to her just then. She had nowhere else to go but forward, but Violet felt a little bit out of place, a little disoriented. It was like jet lag, strangely enough.

As she walked, the far edges of the horizon lightened to deep indigo, hinting at the coming dawn, and the castle slowly grew in her vision, a massive edifice to a past she didn't belong to. By the time she made it to the outer wall, her breath was coming harder from the slight uphill incline, misting in front of her face in great puffs of white.

She put her hand on the massive wooden gates, closed and barred, and sighed. What next? A flash from a Poke ball might attract attention in this darkness. She could wait until the gates were opened, but...

No. She squared her shoulders, her eyes flashing. He needed her _now_. She couldn't afford to waste a second, or all of Indigo's work, all his growth, might be for nothing. She would never let that happen. Violet felt for a handhold in the fitted stone surrounding the thick gate, her hands rasping slightly on the rough stone.

She didn't dare make a sound, or grumble under her breath at the sheer _size_ of the wall, fear of discovery staining her every thought. She kept her lips pursed tight, afraid to even breathe. Adrenaline spiked through her blood, and she was sure someone would be able to hear her heartbeat, pounding a disjointed rhythm in her ears. She looked down only once, breaking into a cold sweat at the sight of the ground nearly thirty feet below. Her breath came in shuddering gasps for a long minute as she clung to the wall, eyes closed tight.

Her fingers ached, rubbed raw by the stones, by the time she finally reached the top. She forced herself not to throw an elbow over the safety of the lip right away, instead peering over the top of the wall, searching for possible sentries. She didn't see any right away, and her muscles insisted that was good enough. Violet pulled herself onto the top of the wall, hissing with relief. Despite the threat of danger, for a long moment she just sat, letting her circulation do its job.

And then Violet froze, her breath stopping in her throat. Because in front of the castle was a Pokemon in chains. She had wondered at the lack of sentries, but now she understood.

Entei guarded the castles main doors. The Legendary was shackled with thick iron bonds, a chain for each leg, and a massive collar of dulled grey around its heavily built neck. The mythical beast of volcanoes and fire lay sleeping in front of the castle of the dark king, as a prisoner and guard. The cobblestones under its feet shone a dull red, the cracks between them gleaming with firelight, glowing brighter with every inhale, and going nearly dark with every release of the monsters breath. Deep gouges marked the stones, like it had torn at them with its hand length claws.

Despite her instinctive, bone deep fear, Violet felt a stirring of anger as well. Who was Tero, to imprison Entei in this place? She knew it like she knew how to breathe that the legend belonged to the elements, a powerful omen, an impossible dream. And he had shackled it like a dog, simply because he _could_.

Her eyes flashed with fury. Indigo's story aside, she knew then that she hated this man. She turned her back to the castle, beginning her descent down the opposite side, her black clothing making her disappear against the dark stones. She was nearly halfway down when, for the second time in as many minutes, Violet froze, as the soft sound of footsteps carried up to her ears.

She clung to the wall, completely exposed, her cheek pressed against the cold rock as she tried to hold as still as possible. She also tried very hard not to think about the drop she faced if her fingers slipped.

The figure below walked with grace and a near silence that she never would have heard if the night wasn't still. She watched, trying not to make a sound, and prayed she would not be seen.

The girl was barefoot, explaining her silent gait. A simple white gown hung just above her ankles, stark and obvious in the night. She was beautiful. A long white ribbon was tied just beneath the gowns bodice, the tattered edges trailing on the thick grass. Pale skinned, the girl didn't seem to care where she was going, or what she was looking at. Her hair was tied in a thick braid that draped over one shoulder, tendrils escaping around her face.

The girl looked up at Violet, her gaze unnerving and dark, and for an instant her heart stopped, because she was looking _straight at her_, as though she had known she was there all along and had been polite enough not to stare before. One of Violets hands released the stone, going straight for the Poke balls on her belt, preparing for war.

The dark haired girl blinked with surprise. Her lips turned up in a bright smile, her eyes strangely disoriented. She waved, a friendly greeting that caught Violet off guard. She froze again, unsure.

The strange girl waved for a moment more, her smile sunny. She turned, and walked away without a word, completely unhurried, continuing her ramble across the expanse of lawn.

Violet remained still for another fifteen breaths, her heart beating furiously, until the girl was out of sight, her arms swinging nonchalantly. The girl walked past Entei without fear, turning to smile at it even, before she turned down a path shaded with trees.

Violet let out an audible sigh of relief, her heart trying to escape her rib cage all the while. She half skidded down the wall with her haste, hating the idea of being so exposed anymore. She crouched as she hit the grass, feeling immeasurably better. Violet straightened, thinking longingly of Indigo. She wished she weren't alone tonight.

Entei's gleaming eyes opened, its pupils dilating. Chains screamed against stone as it rose, roaring with absolute fury, the sound shattering the silence like a bomb. The gleaming lights between the cobbled stones burst into angry red, the beams so harsh they threw shadows up the massive stone walls of Halladen Castle. The beautiful stained glass that stretched above the entryway cracked, throwing a few little bits of color tinkling towards the earth.

Entei's head turned directly towards her, its eyes furious and dead, empty still of all rationality. One thought burned through her mind, as her legs locked up with terror beneath her.

_Indigo_.

The legendary being of fire reared back on its hind legs, firelight glowing far in the back of its throat. Embers spilled from between wicked fangs, and suddenly, Violet remembered how to run like her life depended on it. Screaming came naturally as well, as a torrential burst of red hot fire tore just behind her, swinging wildly to match her pace. She could feel the heat behind her, threatening to set her clothes on fire from sheer proximity.

Just when she was sure her life was over, she saw her salvation. Violet dove behind the gnarled tree, the flames just behind her. They burst around the edges of the unlucky tree, as Violet huddled behind it, her arms over her head as she tried to be very small. It didn't take long for the flames to gutter out.

The second burst came right on the heels of the first, spraying molten hot flames to either side of the tree. Fire started to catch the branches, licking up until the tree was ablaze, fueled by unnaturally hot flames. Violet' breath came fast, but there didn't seem to be enough oxygen for her to breathe. She started to feel faint, and wondered how on earth she was getting out of this one.

She had nowhere to go. Even trapped, the Entei would destroy her. It was only a matter of time.

The Ninetales warning flashed through her mind. _If anyone discovers you are from the future, there will be consequences. Keep your impact to a minimum, or your life will be in danger._

Violet took a long shuddering breath as the Entei roared behind her, chains tearing against stone as it tried furiously to rip the intruder to shreds. She opened her eyes, icy determination taking hold of her heart. And Violet reached for one of her incredibly advanced, future made, Poke balls.

She couldn't go down like this. Indigo was relying on _her_ for a change. She would _not _ let him down.

She stood, Mr. Fins Master Ball in one hand, the metal cool against her overheated skin. She maximized the sphere, readying herself to battle a legend. Jus before she stepped out from behind the burning tree, she bit back a curse, hiding once more.

Someone else was here, drawn by Entei's roars. She hadn't seen clearly, other than a massive silhouette encased in armor, spiked and charred black.

"Calm thyself, beast," a voice murmured, barely audible over Entei's fury. The effect was instantaneous. Entei's roars ceased, changing to a low snarling that reverberated strangely in her bones. She heard the rasp of claws on stone as it retracted and extended its claws churlishly. And then, the sound of many footsteps, striking against the cobbled entryway.

"Captain!"

Violet remained frozen, even when a burning branch snapped, landing at her feet. She tried to hear what was going on above the sound of crackling wood, the sound reminding her she couldn't stay there much longer.

It was silent for so long, she agonized about whether to peek around the trunk. Just as she was about to risk it, the same calm voice spoke again.

"An intruder is here," the shockingly female voice said, and Violet realized there was a _girl_ under that wickedly spiked armor. "Find them, and bring them here immediately. It may be the Princess again. Proceed with extreme caution."

A chorus of assent rose up from the newcomers, and Violet gulped loud, wondering where on earth she could possibly run. Luckily more than one tree had caught in the consecutive Flamethrowers, so she wasn't too obvious. All the same...

The guards started to fan out, their footsteps changing from the slaps against stone to muffled whispers of shoes against grass. And she had nowhere to hide. Violet swallowed again, closing her eyes tight. She unhooked a second Poke ball from her belt, focusing on taking deep breaths.

"The intruder is here! It's just a girl! Captain, it's-"

The voice broke off with a hiss. She heard murmurs from all the men assembled.

Violet opened one eye, peeking out. But the voices hadn't reached her yet. She got down on Nialee her hands and knees, daring to look out from behind her tree. She blinked with surprise, taking in the scene all at once.

Nearly thirty guards had answered the call, led by the figure wearing unreasonably big armor. Even from the short distance between them, Violet could see her flashing green eyes.

And in front of them, was the girl from before. She was taller than Violet had thought, rail thin, and gaunt, her skin stretched tight over her long fingers. Her head went a little to the side, and she took a step towards the men, making them all step back as one.

With the exception of the girl Violet knew had to be Captain Aren, who stood her ground. "Nialee," she acknowledged stonily. "You should not be outside. The King will want to see you."

The girl cocked her head, like she didn't understand. She laughed, and the men flinched as one. She walked without fear towards Entei, despite the fact that the Legend was snarling low, glaring distrustfully at all around it. She put her hand on its head, and smiled.

"Good kitty," she purred, as the massive Pokemon reared back ever so slightly from her touch. "Good, good kitty." She laughed again, holding the legendary dogs face with both hands, leaning the side of her cheek into its russet fur like it was a silly puppy rather than a monstrous killer that had previously terrorized the countryside.

She threw her arms around Enteis neck, glaring at the young captain. "Wanna stay," she insisted. "Kitty."

A long pregnant pause filled the air. The guards looked to their female leader. Captain Aren glared. Finally, she turned away on one heel, walking away. "Let the girl stay. It hardly matters, with her, after all. Move out."

Violet barely believed her own luck. She waited until the footsteps got a little softer, and then jumped out from behind the tree, unable to stand the heat anymore. Her clothes smoked slightly, despite her batting at them with her hands, as the tree groaned beneath the flames. She stumbled out into the cool air, whimpering under her breath. She did not care, in that moment, if she was seen. All she could think about was getting away from the now blistering heat of the burning tree.

When she looked up, the girl called Nialee was in front of her, beaming. Before Violet could say a word, she had turned away, walking towards the edge of the castle. She stopped, looking back pointedly at her. She gestured with her head, as if impatient.

Violet hesitated. She looked at the restless Entei, following her with its sharp eyes even now, and back at the girl.

She dusted off her shirt of flecks of ash, and followed.

~o~

"Where are we going, exactly?" Violet whispered, hopelessly lost. The girl in front of her didn't bother answering. Violet sighed.

Nialee had led her into the castle, through what appeared to be a stable, filled with Rapidash and Ponyta, into twisting passage ways and abandoned corridors, until she was hopelessly lost.

It was strange, really. She had grown up surrounded by some of the largest buildings in the world, even lived in a few of them. For her, such structures were normal. Maybe it was the logic defying layout, the twisted passage ways that seemed to lead nowhere at all, or maybe it was just the torchlight, throwing strange shadows over everything still. Maybe it was her own nervousness, her feeling of being out of a place in a time she had been thrown into without warning. But to her, the castle seemed the largest, most menacing place she'd ever set foot into.

And she was following a complete stranger, who had managed to scare the _kings guard_ just by her mere presence. She wondered a little giddily how she managed to attract such people. Karo was the foremost example in her mind. But she remembered the stories Morty had told her about her mother, the great trainer, Amber.

_I guess we have something in common after all, mom,_ she thought silently to herself. They rounded a corner, and for the first time, a person was there. She was in fact, a stunningly attractive woman. Her features were fine, almost elfin in appearance, and Violet had never seen such ridiculously flawless skin. The woman was wearing an ornate gown of blood red fabric that accentuated her form.

Violet would have called her beautiful, if her features had been on any other person. Because this chestnut haired woman had the dullest eyes, and the most zombie-like features she had ever seen. Even the sight of a strange girl did nothing to move her expression. Violet froze, cursing her stupidity for following the girl in the first place, reaching into her black belt pouch for a Poke-ball. But the girl called Nialee moved first.

"Aniki!" she sang, throwing her arms around the dead eyed woman, who did not react in the slightest. She purred, acting like an overgrown child, or a fangirl. That is to say, without much in the way of brains. "Sorry I'm late!"

The woman turned warm chocolate eyes on Violet, with about as much emotion in them as a stuffed animal. She glanced back at Nialee, brushing her arms off from around her neck automatically.

"She's still alive," the woman pointed out, arching an eyebrow. "Why?"

Nialee shrugged, completely oblivious to the spike of ice that shot down Violet's stomach at her words. She looked at Violet with childlike innocence. "I dunno. Her eyes are pretty. I liked them. Where's Ella?"

Mayanna smiled ever so slightly, though it did not touch her brown eyes. "Ella is already here. Tonight should be the night she is cured. My lord has high hopes. He believes he has solved the problem, this time." She looked at Violet once more, hardly caring. "We don't need anyone else. Dispose of her, and come downstairs. We may need you."

"Kay!" Nialee sang, beaming. She waved as the woman turned down a set of dark stairs, picking up a torch from a bracket on the wall as she went.

She turned back towards Violet, an unnaturally wide grin on her face, her head cocked to one side. She picked up a loose stone from the unfinished floor with two hands, her balance strangely off. Her eyes were wide and filled with excitement as she spoke. "Wanna play, little girl?"

Violet was suddenly reminded why she hated horror movies. She turned on one heel and ran, not caring where she went, her heart pounding wildly in her chest as the girl chased her, laughing.

"Stupid universe!" Violet wailed, skidding around a corner. "Couldn't she just have been a nice fellow ally? Of _course not_! She had to be _crazy!_"

Nialee laughed wildly behind her, and the rock smashed into her leg, just above the ankle. Violet screamed as her leg collapsed, and she went sprawling on the floor, her arms scraping painfully against the rough stone. Hot blood dripped down her ankle, and tears sprang to her eyes against her will as she struggled to breath through the pain. Nialee slowed to a walk, circling her contemplatively. Her eyes lit up, and she dashed into an empty room down the corridor.

Violet struggled to sit, hardly daring to believe her opponent had just _left_. She heard clanging from the room ahead, and stood, shakily, crying out as flames shot up her leg. She took a step and stumbled, catching herself on her other leg before she hit the ground again.

Nialee reappeared then, her long white dress swirling around her ankles. More tendrils of hair had escaped around her face, accentuating her eyes, as excited as a childs.

However, Violet's attention was more drawn by the freaking _butchers knife_ she held with both hands, the dull, scratched metal gleaming slightly in the torchlight.

"I just figured out where all horror movies came from," Violet said faintly. "They're all based on you, aren't they?"

Nialee looked confused for a moment, her childlike eyes looking at her strangely. Then she shrugged, deciding now was a good time to finish killing her. And Violet had nowhere to go. She tried to run, but her bad leg gave out almost immediately, and Nialee was there, the butchers knife held over her head with a two handed grasp, smiling like it was the greatest day of her life. She brought it down with a delighted giggle, her eyes never leaving Violet.

Violet rolled, and the knife clanged against the stone floor, throwing a bright row of sparks. She immediately struggled to sit, scraping backwards across the floor as she dodged another swing, this one towards her eyes. Her back was to the wall when the crazy girl swung again, aiming for her stomach, and Violet threw herself to the side desperately, closing her eyes tight as the knife swung closer.

She was already fumbling for her Poke balls by the time she landed, blessedly pain free. She grabbed the first her hands touched, maximizing the sphere without preamble. She stopped, just before releasing her Froslass, her eyes going wide with shock as she stared at Nialee.

She had missed Violet, but her knife had found blood. It was lodged in her thigh, staining the beautiful white dress with crimson, and coating her leg with an unbroken sheet of red. She stood, not seeming to care as she pulled the knife out of her leg, staring at the wound. She wiped the stained knife off on the fabric of her waist, brushing her hair back behind her ear. Her hand left a streak of blood under her cheekbone. She looked back at Violet, her wide eyes unblinking and uncaring.

"Freeze her Lassie!" Violet ordered frantically, remembering to move as the bloodstained girl with the butchers knife came for her again, and her Froslass burst into being, her amber eyes amused.

The white ghost held out one dainty hand, her faux kimono swirling as ice and snow burst from her fingertips, howling out in a vortex of shrieking winter. Nialee's body frosted over, encased entirely with ice as deep a blue as the sky, the open mouthed smile still on her crazed face.

Violet fell back, breathing hard as sweat rolled down her temple. She stared at the girl she had thought was a friend until her heart calmed, unable to look away from her frozen features.

"Thanks, Lassie," she said, her voice shaking as she returned her partner with a flash of golden light. She stood, her hands scraping against the rock as she pulled herself upright. Flakes of snow drifted sedately from the arctic environment. Violet wished she couldn't see Nialee's face through the ice.

She needed to get out of sight. The girl would be missed before long. She couldn't afford to wait around.

Warmth encased her mind, along with the faint presence of the Ninetales, lasting a bare second before it faded away, exhausted. And Violet looked with new eyes at the large door a the very end of the hallway, the dark double doors ornately carved with ivy.

She was where she needed to be.

She wished destiny would find _less_ dramatic ways to bring her to her destination.

Wondering what other monsters existed in this castle, Violet hobbled down the hallway, one hand on the wall. She refused to think about how she was getting out of this place on one leg. _Indigo_. She clung to that name stubbornly, until she had pulled the heavy door shut behind her.

The Queen quite clearly had her own room. Because no man, king or otherwise, would put up with so many frills. A bed shaded with gauzy white took up most of the room, its four posts carved with flowers and creeping vines. The carpet was thick and soft, muffling her uneven footsteps. Violet sat down hard as soon as the echoes from the closing door had faded, taking a moment to catch her breath.

She was shaking. Violet wondered if she was going into shock. She pushed the thought aside firmly. Now wasn't the time for silly things like shock. She had more important things to worry about. She dragged herself back to her feet with a groan, forcing herself to look around the room a little closer.

She really hoped the Blissey Song was still here. She didn't know what she would do if it were gone. Violet's gaze latched onto the dresser near the cracked stained glass window, illuminated by the light of Entei far below, and realized she the Queens room was directly above the front entryway. She had probably seen everything that went in or out.

The single drawer below the desk and mirror combo was unlocked. When Violet opened it, the first thing she saw was the gleaming item within. It was a pink oval, smooth and gleaming, with two dainty white wings extending from either side. It looked like a good luck charm, or a lolita fashion accessory. When she picked it up, it was warm to the touch, like something alive.

That electric warmth shot through her whole body, and Violet gasped as her pain disappeared entirely, from the searing burn of her ankle, the small burns and scrapes on her arms, to the small aches she hadn't even known existed until they were gone. She felt as though her whole body were encased in a giant fluffy pillow, like no pain existed in the world. The glow faded very slowly, until she was Violet again, holding a tiny, beautiful item.

The tips of the white wings on the charm had burned black, as though dipped in put it into her pocket, grinning. She stomped with her previously injured leg, and felt no pain. This was _exactly_ what Indigo needed.

She was just about to shut the drawer when she noticed the small book, made of nearly white leather, engraved with dainty gold lettering. She picked it up, flipping to the first page.

With a cold jolt, she realized the book was a diary, from the time of the revolution twenty years before this past.

Violet shut the book hard. She set it back into its drawer, pushing it closed. Her eyes were shining just a little too much, as she bowed her head. Because Analynns story had ended badly. Violet's best friend had murdered her, after all.

Violet could see the Whispermist forest in the distance from the stained glass window. She patted her pocket, as if to be sure the Blissey Song was still there, and turned to leave.

She inched past the frozen Nialee, wary despite herself, hating that she had to turn her back to the statue of ice. She padded carefully down the hallway she had run down before, trying to remember the way out. She heard footsteps from around the corner, and froze in the shadows until they had passed.

She breathed a sigh of relief, finally breaking into the section she had seen the brunette woman with the broken eyes. She turned to go, when her foot scraped against a rock.

She looked back at the stairwell the woman had disappeared down. Loose stones scattered the area around it, as though the wall in front of the descending stairs had been knocking outwards recently, revealing a hidden passage. And Violet hesitated.

She should _really_ get going. Right now. It would be stupid to the point of insanity to go down those stairs.

"I'm an _idiot_," Violet complained quietly. And she began her descent, following the path of the kings second in command.

She felt like she walked down those stairs for a lifetime. The darkness was impossible to navigate alone. She pulled a glow stick from the pouch on her belt, snapping it until light glowed red around her. She inched down the crumbling stone, fear of discovery staining her every thought.

But she had to see what was done there. And after she'd walked for that lifetime, she heard the faint sound of voices. Violet stuffed the glow stick back in her pouch, hiding its light.

The room was dark, at the end she entered. Far ahead, she could make out a bright light, that reminded her of electricity. The room was huge, filled with rows of bulky items in shadow, faint torches between them. The smell was terrible. Violet gagged, her eyes watering as she clamped her hand over her mouth to keep from retching. Slowly, she started moving forward, her eyes fixed on the lit area as she made her way past the shadowed rows. The voices came into focus, ever so slowly.

"My lord," the woman she had identified as Mayanna said, her voice urgent and quiet. "You should not take it so hard. The girl knew from the beginning what could happen."

Violet crept forward despite every instinct telling her to get out while she had the chance. She reached the edge of the light, hiding behind one of the many rows. She peeked out carefully, her hand on the cool metal corner in front of her, focusing on nothing but the scene before her eyes.

The bright lights shone from twin glass spheres containing Electabuzz, their power running between two thick wires that connected their enclosures. The result was a shining, almost fluorescent glow that fully illuminated the end of the room, far better than the mere torches ever could. The floor was smooth, as though it had been sanded down, and the entire area was meticulously clean. Tables containing shining equipment, scalpels, thin curved blades, and beakers of liquids she could not identify were arranged neatly along every surface. In the center of the lit area, was a longer table, gleaming silver, much like the medical examination tables of her modern time.

Two people, and two people alone were all she could see. The first was Mayanna, clothed in rich crimson. She was standing near the silver table, next to a man whose head was slumped forward with stared, unable to look away, as every line of Indigo's story flashed through her mind.

She hadn't expected him to look so cold.

Tero was lean and predatory, even while sitting. With a strong jawline, and high cheekbones, he possessed a dark, handsome aura that scared her more than the story ever had. His hair was black as pitch, making his skin seem paler by comparison, and his fingers were long and thin, almost feminine. He sat back, running his hand through his hair as he sighed. When he opened his eyes it was like looking into the midnight sky, so perfect was the black.

"It is possible," he said quietly, and his voice was melodious and rich. "It has to be. I refuse to believe that the damage is irreversible. I just didn't get it quite right, this time. Ella never took to the Pokemon Experiment as strongly as you did. Her emotions were never completely destroyed. She knew how to fear, after all. She was flawed."

"My lord," Mayanna said gently, placing her hand on his shoulder. "You are not infallible. Some things are even beyond _your_ power."

But Tero was shaking his head. "Ella was never whole. Her autism made her a poor test subject. Nia would likely be the same."

"And Diane, and Molly?" Mayanna asked, arching an eyebrow. "They were physically whole."

Anger flashed through his dark eyes. "Are you trying to say there is no hope? That your emotions cannot be restored, because I have been unable to restore the emotions of any of the test subjects with your condition?"

Mayanna stared until his anger faded, her beautiful face untroubled. "Get some sleep, my lord. I am content as I am. Besides that, you've been abandoning other experiments while you've been working on this. You have enough to do."

The chemical smell was getting worse the longer Violet stayed in the room. Her eyes watered, stinging sharply, and she wondered how on earth those two could _stand_ it. She struggled to breathe quietly, her hand clamped tight over her nose.

It was time to leave. She couldn't stay here much longer anyways. Violet fought back the bile in the back of her throat, straightening. Tero stood as well, his movements sharp. And Violet saw what she could not before, with him blocking her view.

There was a dead girl on the table. A very, very small girl, clothed in a sheet up to her neck. Three empty syringes lay scattered around her head, resting on the gleaming metal table. Her dull eyes were open, staring at Violet uselessly, with blood filled tears staining her face.

It took everything Violet had, every experience, every fear, not to escape the room that very second, heedless of discovery. It was a miracle she didn't scream. And then a hand grabbed her leg, just above her ankle.

The corner she'd been hiding behind was not a storage shelf. It was a _cage_. And the distorted figure inside was very much alive. She would have called the figure human, but she counted a few too many shadowed limbs. Its eyes gleamed in the dark. "Help me," it rasped with a mans voice, its grip tightening around her leg.

She shrieked, ripping herself out of the things hand violently. She stumbled, falling directly in the hallway between the shadowed rows, and more importantly, into the light shining from the captive Electabuzz. Tero turned, his dark eyes surprised.

"And who," he said quietly, his voice astonished, "are you?"

Violet was on her feet in a second. She sprinted into the darkness behind her with adrenaline fueled fear, the monster king at her back. She heard him swear, and the clang of metal against metal, like he'd thrown a massive switch.

Light flooded the room, orbs with trapped electric Pokemon lining the walls, connected with thick, sparking cables the size of her waist. They cried out as the currents connected, flooding electricity through them. And suddenly Violet could see _everything,_ every half formed, patched together monster in the hundred cages, each with a pair of human eyes.

Some were more human then others, barely marked with the Pokemon Experiment. Some were no longer alive. But all bore the marks of torture beyond imagining, and the sight alone nearly sent her to her knees. She struggled to keep her legs moving, throwing a look over her shoulder.

Tero stood at the end of the room, his long arm outstretched towards her as he shouted a command she did not hear over the rushing in her ears. He wore a long white lab coat open, revealing dark clothes beneath. Far above, Entei roared, and dust fell from the shaking ceiling. Violet missed a step, nearly falling. She caught herself in the nick of time, her eyes locked on the open stairwell leading up and out.

She tried very hard not to look around. Tears blurred her vision. Furious, hot tears, as she ran past every human face around her, without even slowing. He would _pay _for this. For everything. Part of her hadn't really believed he was a monster until now. That part of her was huddled in the back of her mind, screaming.

She and Indigo would take him _down_.

Part of her was tempted to fight right then and there. To take down the monster before the second war ever began. She had her partners, and there was no question of resolve. He was off guard, and might not have any Pokemon on him. She could end this here and now, and help every person in this horrible room. She wanted to, if only to destroy the suffering she saw around her.

One thought stopped her. Indigo needed her. And if she _failed_, for any reason, then both of them would die. Could she really take that chance?

She couldn't. Not to save every stranger in this room could she risk his life. It was very wrong, and very true. She had to get out of here, and make sure he survived. The primitive electricity was faster than she was, however, and a metal grate fell in front of the stairwell, the rusted metal shrieking. She hit a bare second later, her hands clutching the metal bars as she came to a total stop.

"You could have helped," Tero said, disgusted. "We can hardly let her leave."

"I am wearing a dress. It would not be proper."

She stared at the passage beyond, her thought process coming to a stop. She heard footsteps behind her, getting closer every second.

"It's not often I get visitors," he admitted, completely, irritatingly calm. "You're the first in a while, actually. The first who came of _their own will_, that is. "

Violet did not turn around at first. She gritted her teeth, her eyes in shadow. When she whirled, there was fire in her eyes. She reached into her pouch for a Poke ball, but froze, remembering the warning of the Ninetales. But what choice did she have?

The figure in the nearest iron cage moaned, writhing on the ground. It had probably been a girl once, about her age. Long, matted brown hair hung nearly to her waist, clad in torn rags. Her left arm was covered in thick fur, ending in claws, the limb far too long. Maggots crawled in the blood surrounding her, oozing from her shoulder where skin met fur. She twisted, in obvious pain.

Violet's fingers found the Blissey Song instead. Before she could second guess her actions, she had reached through the bars, pressing the charm to the girls forehead. Her red eyes went wide under her loose hair. Light shone from the charm in bright rays that spun like a pinwheel.

When the light faded, half of the white wings had turned dark. And the girl had stopped bleeding, the skin new and pink around her shoulder. She looked at Violet with obvious astonishment, all the unseen damage within her healed as well.

"That was...a waste," Tero said, wincing. "Kyra will die soon in any case. You've just given her a month or two more with that. Where did you get that, anyways?"

He didn't seem to care that people were dying around him. He sounded clinical and calm, politely interested despite the fact that he was probably going to kill her, just like them. Karo, Sabrina, even the crazy Nialee, none of them had even come close to Indigo's demons. She didn't blame him for the choices he'd made. Anyone would go a little crazy fighting _t__his_.

Of course he'd lost it. This monster had threatened his best friend.

When Violet stood, she was shaking. Because she could only help one, and countless others remained. She could hear them, shifting and crying, their voices only half human. She lifted her eyes to the new king, the amethyst glinting furiously. His own eyes widened a the sight of hers, as if he recognized them.

"My name is Violet," she said, her voice cracking through the air like a whip. "And I'm like nothing you've seen before. Avery!"

Her Kirlia burst from her Moon ball with a savage cry, a black Psychic already spread between her fingertips like a spider web, winking with crimson lights. The Psychic exploded into the room, shattering every glass prison on the walls. Violet had time to see the imprisoned Pokemon crying out, leaping to freedom, to see Kyra cover her head with mismatched arms as glass tinkled from the ceiling, and to see the look on the Kings face as he saw the impossible wonder in her hands.

The light cut, and everything went black.

She stuffed her advanced Moon ball back into her pouch, picking up her Kirlia in her arms hurriedly. Now that the mechanism had been deactivated, she could lift the grate jut enough to slide past, scraping her arms on the metal.

After that, the only thing to do was run.

The stairs seemed even longer this time around, sprinting up in the darkness. She fell once, her arms taking the brunt of the blow. She scraped back to her feet, the Blissey Song already healing the minor wounds.

She would have to be more careful, or the charm wouldn't have enough power left to heal Indigo. Violet grabbed her shining red glow stick out of her pouch without missing another stride, the haunting light illuminating the dark just enough that she did not fall again.

Below her, she heard the sounds of pursuit.

Her legs were screaming by the time she reached the top of the stairs. They let out in the _middle_ of the massive castle, rather than the lowest floors. After all, who would look for the entrance to a dungeon halfway up? It was brilliant, and Violet's legs hated it. Whoever had put in that many stairs deserved to be shot. But she didn't have time to rest. Violet ran, Avery in her arms, and prayed she would be able to get out in time.

Luckily, she was very fast. Violet grinned, exultant, as she ran. She had a head start. She only had to get out of the castle, and she could fly out of here in no time flat. And so what if Tero had seen her Moon ball? The technology wouldn't do him any good if he couldn't see it up close. There was nothing he could do about it!

"We've got this, little one," she told Avery, turning the corner of the far hallway. She saw stairs leading down ahead, which meant she could get to the main level, and out of this horrible place.

The main level exit. Where Entei would be for sure.

"Aw crap," she whimpered. "Any ideas, Avery?"

She heard something roar behind her, a cry she hadn't heard in a long time. Not since she and Daniel had traveled Kanto together, meeting all kinds of Pokemon. It was a cry she would never forget, because the Pokemon it came from had beaten him in a fair fight.

"Charizard, stop the girl! Do not harm her!" Tero shouted. Violet turned her head, and saw the armored dragon put on a burst of speed, its wings brushing the sides of the hallway as it flew, eyes locked dead on her. The King no longer looked calm. She did not recognize the emotion in his eyes, if it even was an emotion in the first place. Time seemed to slow, and she could hear the slow tick of the clock as everything fell into place.

Violet turned back to the short length of hall in front of her. And instead of turning down the stairs, she adjusted her course, headed straight for the glass window overlooking the gardens. She crossed her arms over Avery, smashing the thin glass to shining splinters that caught the light of the breaking dawn outside the castle walls.

Shards of glass fell with her as she burst from the window. Violet turned as she fell, until she was looking up at the castle, the new morning light spreading over it like a halo. She saw the new king, and her new enemy, stop in his tracks at the window, staring at her as she tumbled down through the air. She grinned at him.

"I win," she said softly, even though she knew he could not possibly hear her. She met his eyes with a challenge in her own, and held his gaze until the whirl of Avery's Teleport blocked everything from view.

She and her partner disappeared into nothing an instant before they would have hit the ground. The next time Violet opened her eyes, they were deep in the Whispermist forest, far away from the castle.

She let out a sigh of relief, returning her partner with a flash of light. She turned, and set out for the pretty little meadow where the Ninetales, and Indigo, would be waiting for her.

~o~

**A/N** Ugh. This was meant to have another little section as an ending, but I am DONE. This chapter was long, dangit! No more!

Actually, I'm really glad this is finished. Haha! ^^ I really enjoyed being able to write with Violet's take on things. It made the past seem new, even to me, and it really needed that. I'm done! Yay! And I'm overusing the word 'Really'! Really! Ok, now really is starting to look like it's spelled wrong. Really? Really. Ok, I need sleep.

Enjoy it! Because the past is the FINAL ARC. Also...I'll probably post another story sometime before the next chapter, or the one after that. I need diversity, or my head may explode. I've also invested so much into this story, my writing in something brand new may be sub par...so...don't read it. It is purely for clearing my head!

~K-tori, out and done for the day! *salutes*


	27. Prelude and Fugue

**Disclaimer: Gah, I've done a lot of these at this point. If you still think I own Pokémon, have fun in your Egyptian river!**

~o~

Sometimes he didn't know what he fought for.

Those times were the worst, for him. He never knew it until they were over however. Only memories of life, reigniting the spark inside of him, could show him how close to the dark he'd really been. Sometimes he was shrouded in shadows alone, on top of a burning world.

He only knew the dark times had existed when he was reminded what life felt like. He watched the young woman fall, her gemstone eyes triumphant and filled with challenge, as the light of teleportation surrounded her. A memory filled his mind, sudden and unwanted. The faded image of a girl, her features obscured by time, only held together by the sense of warmth and candlelight.

"_I'll protect you, little brother."_

Kylara was too kind. She hadn't been able to survive the horrors of the mad doctors lab. But he had been strong. He had suffered and cried like a child, until pain forced him to become a man. He had endured, until his own agony showed him the way to be free. He had made his curse into his weapon, and destroyed the doctor with his own experiment in a flood of blood red fire. He had _taken_ the pain that had been inflicted on him and the other children in the lab, and he had _made it his own_. Perfecting the technique had taken years, after he had saved Mayanna, as a proud child of no more than thirteen. Her life had been hard enough, nearly impossible to salvage, after her fathers flawed experiment warped her body. Her emotions were all but destroyed. He hadn't been able to do a thing.

He wondered if he would be able to save her emotions, if he were to take the place of his childhood self. He had learned much in the ten years since that day, through study and experiment. He had nearly mastered the Pokemon Experiment in it's truest form, ability merging. If he were faced with the Maya of the past, a girl-child tortured by her own father, could he have saved all that she was, rather than a hollow shell of her life?

He did not know. And he would never find out. While Mayanna was his companion, the one person he could always trust in this world, she was not alive as people judged living. She had a body, and words. But everything else that made one human had been stripped from her forever. The person nearest to him was in fact the furthest. And so, he was alone.

He did not _need_ anyone, of course. He never had. But boredom was a terrible thing, and it had taken its toll the last half year. It was most of the reason he was putting off dealing with the rogue princess, actually. When she was gone, he would have nothing left to do, no enemies to outsmart. Nothing but an endless rule, and academic study of course. He almost wished Indigo were alive, at least to give him _something_ to do. His whole life he had been driven by purpose, an impossible goal that had to be completed no matter what. But his revenge had been completed, the day won, and suddenly there was nothing to fight for.

The young woman grinned, and he could read the victory on her pale face even as the wind ripped her words from her lips. She had invaded his castle, stolen his property, seen his lab. She possessed technology the likes of which he'd never dreamed of, and used it like it was normal and mundane.

She'd understood the properties of electricity, a force which had been only theoretical until very recently. He did not know who she was. Or what she wanted from the castle. He didn't even know if she had_ completed _her mission, or whether she acted alone.

It could not be borne. The young woman with the bright eyes had to be stopped at all costs. He had to speak to her, and after that he could take his time killing her. It was absolutely insupportable for an enemy to challenge him _now_, when his power was greatest.

The risk was too great. It was a threat to everything he had.

Tero watched the impossible girl disappear. His heart raced with sudden anticipation, and it was only later that he realized his mouth was turned up in a savage grin. He had to find her. He hadn't realized how badly he needed something to focus his energy on, an opponent worthy to play the game. He needed the chase like water, like _air_. He never knew the dark times until they were over.

A spark blossomed into existence within his chest, and it was like he hadn't been alive at all until that moment. He had forgotten the feeling somehow, after half a year of easy victories.

He would not kill her until he had his answers however. The game wasn't any fun without rules, after all.

~o~

Indigo remembered nothing but darkness, from the time his eyes had last closed. He hadn't been able to see, or hear anything.

But through all those long, dark hours, his mind was alert,and plagued with fears.

He should have known the fox would double cross him somehow. He should have known she would not give a favor for _free_. Nivali always settled the score, he reminded himself bitterly. The same ancient being who had been captured by Layla had cursed Riza's family. She had killed many times; he'd gotten that much from the old legends diary. And later, she had cursed _him_ as well, on what appeared to be nothing more than a whim.

Violet. His heart twisted with fears. What on earth was the fox making her _do_? Ironically enough, he was having trouble focusing on his own danger. His mind shied away from such a subject instinctively. He was alive for the moment, and could not worry about the possibility of his death until the time came when he would be forced to. And so he existed with worries and anger, deprived of all sensation other than his thoughts.

He was human. It was as strange to him as switching bodies had been the first time, alien and new. He still couldn't wrap his mind around it. He was _human_.

And for the first time in years, he had hope. Fire burned in his chest like Aura. He had his chance now. The life he'd left behind was still here, and he could help. With her, he could do anything. He knew that.

At last, after centuries of darkness and silence, he heard a voice.

"_Indigo_? _Is he...what do I do?_"

Was that Violet's voice? It sounded filtered, echoed almost. He listened intently, every cell of his being focused on her.

"_Ok. I think...yeah. Is that all? But what about..._

She was breaking up, her words half heard snatches of a conversation he was not privy to. It bothered him needlessly. Like he was being talked about while he was in the room. Indigo growled half heartedly, resigning himself to being a spectator.

"_Here goes."_

She inhaled sharply, and Indigo's dark eyes flew open as a shining pinwheel of colors ad light spun in the sky, lighting up the darkness with warmth and sensation. He was staring at the unexpected show of beauty, until the center of the pinwheel gleamed sharply, like a star. Everything went dark for half a second, and then the pinprick of white exploded out.

When the white faded, he could see the red of his own eyelids. He was lying in grass. Wind breezed across his skin, moving his hair ever so slightly. He could feel the sunlight, and smell the wistful scent of summer. His fingers tingled, as if reminding him they were there.

"Is he alright?" the girls voice said above him, anxiously.

"_Child, your worrying is giving_ me_ a headache_," the fox snapped, the shadows thrown by her waving tails cool against his skin. "_Give him time. His body isn't used to the change_."

Something warm held his hand tightly. He breathed, in and out, relishing the feel of every breath. Indigo opened his eyes, and saw a deep blue sky above, dotted with fat, lazy clouds, barely moved by the faint breeze.

"Violet."

His mouth moved, but no sound came out. All the same she responded, squeezing his hand tighter. "Indigo! Are you alright? Does it hurt?"

She was talking too much. He gripped her hand a little tighter. "Violet," he tried again. His voice rasped. "Come...here for a sec. Something to tell you."

"What is it?" Violet asked. She leaned closer, her large violet eyes tinged with worry as her hair made a curtain around them. She looked exhausted, her cheek smudged with dirt, but her gaze was bright, filled with concern.

"Important," he rasped, trying to make his voice work. "Little closer."

She complied, leaning in close so she could hear his words.

"Brians," Indigo said simply, his voice over-dramatically hoarse. "Must eat Brians!"

Violet sat up, looking very lost. "Er. Indigo? Are you trying to say 'Brains'?"

"Brains?" Indigo repeated, a little confused. "No. That's not right. I'm making a joke. I look like a zombie, and zombies eat people named Brian. Everyone knows this, Violet."

She slapped her hands over her mouth, stifling a giggle. He glared at her as her laughter escaped in muffled bursts, her eyes shining a little too much, as if holding back tears.

"It isn't Brian, is it?" Indigo guessed, plainly irritated. She shook her head mutely, hands still tightly in place. He sighed, aggravated, as he ran a hand through his hair. "Go ahead."

She busted up in gales of laughter, falling to the ground as she clutched her sides, barely able to breathe through her mirth. He watched with irritation, pulling himself up to a sitting position. He waited, but she showed no signs of stopping.

"You...you said...and you _meant _it, and-" she cut off, unable to speak clearly. She gave up, laughing all the harder.

"And that," Indigo said frostily, "-is the last time I try and make jokes from your time. Count on it."

"Sorry," Violet said, sitting up. "I won't laugh anymore. Promise."

He waited, glaring. It only took a few seconds. "Brian," she finished, snickering. He rolled his eyes, lifting himself up with his hand.

"Very funny," he said dryly. "Your wit astounds me." He stood. And promptly fell to the ground. He stared at his own feet with astonishment.

Violet's eyes were looking distinctly bright again, her lips quivering. "Not a word," he warned, sitting up again. What on earth was wrong with him? He stood again, but only got halfway up before wobbling, falling to the ground again, like a newborn.

"I am not laughing," Violet promised, despite her curved lips. "Do you...want some help?"

"No. I've got this," Indigo growled, coming to his hands and knees. He took a step forward, lurching as his balance went, throwing him to the ground again. "My legs are defective. Stupid fox, can't even turn me back correctly!"

Said fox was sitting a little ways off, her ghostly tails waving in the breeze. "_Humans are stupid creatures. You are trying to stand like a Lucario. Your balance is different now. You will simply have to adjust._"

"I _am_ adjusting," Indigo snarled, succeeding in standing, just barely. He wobbled, as though the earth were moving underneath him violently. He held Violet's shoulder tightly, like it was an anchor, until he was standing still at least.

He inhaled, focusing hard. He stepped forward, and pitched towards the ground, his momentum stopped by Violet, who clutched his arm hard. She struggled to keep him on his feet, straining.

"Indigo, you're...really heavy," she gasped, pulling him back up, where he tilted precariously once again.

"_Time has been altered around him_," the Ninetales broke in, half amused herself. "_The past has progressed six months from his initial disappearance. He spent two years in the future. However, his human body has aged about one and a half years. It is hardly a surprise he would have difficulty."_

The ghostly fox turned away, padding silently through the grass, towards the top of the slight hill blocking the horizon.

"Where are you going?" Violet asked. The fox turned towards her with disdain.

"_We are going to Kaya. You will need help here. Much is to come, and you are not prepared. Your greatest battle is just starting. It would be unkind of me not to at least show you the way._"

~o~

Violet had never felt so exposed. People stared as they walked down the makeshift street, whispering at her outlandish clothes. She did not fit in, with her faded jeans, and skin tight black tee. Girls wore _skirts_, and loose tops in this time, apparently. Her lumpy yellow backpack completed the look of a crazy person with no fashion sense.

"Can't we wait until nightfall?" she begged, her face cherry red and her shoulders hunched over. Indigo was at least walking by himself now, the corners of his mouth quirking up ever so slightly. He kept his hands in his pockets, completely at ease.

"We'll get you some clothes later. I think you look fine, anyways," Indigo said, not even turning to look. He kept his gaze on the streets, looking calmer than she'd ever seen him, more relaxed and at home. His new features were strange to her, alien almost. His hair was spiked and dark, hanging almost to his eyes, in the purest shade of deep blue she could imagine. He was taller than her by a head, effortlessly muscular and pale. He moved with a grace that surprised her in a boy, probably due to his time spent as a Lucario. His profile was strong, with eyes that seemed to see everything without trying.

She had tried many times, in the future, to imagine Indigo as the person he had once been. Her versions had all had a common theme: kindness and strength, with features that reminded her of Daniel. She thought of them both as protectors after all, despite their differing personalities. It was only natural that her imaginary Indigo's would share some of his characteristics. But seeing him now, it was like he never could have resembled anything other than what he was. His looks suited his personality far too perfectly. She felt different around this new Indigo, a little less free with her words and teasing.

It made her homesick, to think about that. If Indigo was different, than she would really feel alone here, in this new time. It was harder than she could have ever imagined. It wasn't just a new place. It was like a different _world_.

And she had come without the slightest hesitation.

"_Try not to walk like a criminal, girl_," the shadowed figure of Nivali said, not turning her ghostly head. She passed through people dismissively, not even sparing them a glance. They did not react in the slightest to the near invisible fox either, staring at Violet strangely as they passed. None could even see the fox, besides the two of them._"People are already noticing you. _

"Well, that's easy to say, but..." Violet sighed, resigning herself to looking like a tomato for the rest of the walk. Who needed blush? All that was required for flushed cheeks was going on an epic quest with a cursed Lucario, and being thrown three hundred years back in time, wearing futuristic clothing, and walking through a town full of people that had never even heard of donuts. Easy-peasy. Just think of all the money people could save on make-up products.

Violet bit her lip, sobering up as she looked at the 'town'. It was more accurate to call it a _refugee camp_. The residents of Indigo's hometown had been forced to move when the town burned. Many had moved to other towns during the last half year, but there wasn't enough room for everybody. What's more, Karraket had not been the _only_ city to burn.

Entei had destroyed half the countryside during its rampage. Many people lived in camps like this one, while homes were rebuilt. Rows of canvas tents and temporary wooden buildings lined the length of the 'town', nearly two miles wide. The streets were beaten dirt, worn smooth by hundreds of feet, sometimes barely wide enough for a single cart. Wide circles had sprung up around wells, creating community squares, where people laughed and talked, catching up on events. There were even food stalls, preparing warm treats and meals for the people. Soldiers patrolled, making Violet jumpy.

All in all, things were...happy. Despite their towns ragged appearance, people seemed to be healthy and bright. She had never seen a place so _alive_. Children ran in the streets, dodging carts and cursing adults, laughing merrily, as merchants argued over prices with customers. Soldiers lounging in shaded areas watched everything with unwavering solidarity, keeping the peace.

She had expected worse. To be honest, she had expected things to be like the war Indigo had left behind, to find people angry, and resentful, on the brink of rebelling once more. But not this.

Indigo's enemy was keeping the peace well. The people appeared to be well taken care of. In a camp this big, she wondered how food was produced and distributed. It wasn't possible, unless the King was keeping it supplied. She didn't even see any beggars, or _anyone_ who looked pinched with starvation, or riddled with disease.

It looked perfect. Idealistic and wonderful.

She tugged on Indigo's sleeve, leaning closer as she spoke with a hushed voice. "Where are the poor? I don't see anyone begging."

He stopped in the middle of the road, blinking twice as he looked around with new eyes, obviously just now noticing. "I don't..." he broke off, astonished. "Maybe...this is the more wealthy section of the refugee camp?"

The fox snorted. "_Disgustingly perfect on the surface, is it not? The throne is held up by ideals and gold lining. Underneath is stink and rot, hidden from view of the common people. Tero is not the innocent child he once was. He knows the cruelty required to keep true peace. I believe he is the _best_ King this land has seen in centuries. No conscience. A good public face. Perfect for rule." _She stopped, turning her narrow face back towards them, her gleaming crimson eyes catching theirs. "_We're here, children_," she said simply. The ghostly fox walked through the solid canvas wall, disappearing from sight. Violet stopped as well, regarding the large tent. It resembled an actual building, so large was its size. She wondered why it was bigger than the others surrounding it.

She looked uncertainly at Indigo. His eyes were closed tight, and as she watched, he took a deep breath, as though steeling himself. When his eyes opened, she was struck again at how dark a blue they were, although lighter than the tone of his hair. He took her hand in his own without thinking, squeezing it once reassuringly. And then, without any more traces of hesitation, Indigo pushed open the flap of the large tent, striding inside.

She followed, a few paces behind, her hand still in his. The first thing she noticed in the tent was the sharp smell of herbs, bitter after the air of summer mixed with cooking smoke outside. The inside of the canvas building was braced with a wooden skeleton, like a house without walls, supporting the heavy fabric that hung in their place. The middle of the room was open and spacious, although tables cluttered with bottles and more dried plants lined every wall, with a large _cauldron_ over a small pit in the very center, hissing and bubbling slightly. It smelled like soup, and delicious soup at that. When Violet looked, she saw the circular hole in the top of the cone shaped roof, letting out smoke and giving her a glimpse of the sky far above. More lengths of canvas hung at the back, as if marking off private rooms.

There was an elderly woman in front of the large, bubbling pot, holding a ladle dripping with soup. She stared at it speculatively, before putting it back in the pot so hard drops splashed onto the floor. "Will!" she snapped, turning towards the back of the room. "Add the oregano, and more salt."

Her faded pink hair was pulled back into a severe bun, adding more emphasis to her sharp, angled cheekbones, and harsh features. Her face was lined deeply, aging her prematurely. She couldn't have been more than forty five, but the angry wrinkles made her seem ten years older. She turned towards them without really looking, waving them away angrily.

"We're closed until three, unless you have some emergency!" she said shortly, her eyes passing over them as if they didn't exist. "Get out. You and your girlfriend!"

"G-girlfriend?" Violet sputtered indignantly, taking her hand back self consciously, the flush on her cheeks entirely from the embarrassing walk there. Indigo did not seem to notice, his dark eyes never leaving the middle aged woman.

"Kaya," he said, as though a lifetime existed within the word. At his voice, the pink haired healer stiffened, like she'd heard a ghost. She looked at Indigo clearly for the first time, her eyes widening with the depth of her shock. She grasped the edge of her cauldron, her hands shaking.

"It _cannot_ be," she breathed, going as pale as a ghost herself, backing away as if from fear. "You are...but you've been _dead_!"

At her words, Indigo's eyebrows shot up like a rocket. "I have not! You should know, old woman," he said rudely, narrowing his eyes at her, giving Violet a glimpse of the boy he'd been before everything. "Is that how you greet me after everything?"

She blinked, as though waking from a dream, and then her expression cleared. She breathed a sigh of relief, glaring with irritation at the intruders in her home. "Oh. It's just you, Indigo. " She turned back to her soup, stirring it quickly. "About time you showed up. You looked like someone else, in the shadows like that! What do you want?"

"You know what I want," Indigo said quietly, taken aback a bit by her attitude. "Will you help me? Will you help _us_?"

The old woman stirred her soup harder, not looking up at them. "No. Get out. We're closed anyways. The door is behind you."

Indigo and Violet shared a look, and he turned back to the pink haired woman. "Kaya...we need you. Please, won't you help? It doesn't have to be for long. I can go elsewhere, if it is inconvenient. I don't want you getting in trouble, for my sake."

She laughed, just once, the sound harsh and biting. "_Trouble_, he says," she said, as if to herself, not looking up. "As if he hasn't been enough trouble already. After everything, he has the _gall_-"

"Please help!" Violet broke in, bowing deeply, her hands clasped together. "Indigo is different!"

Kaya seemed to actually notice her for the first time. She looked the newcomer up and down, eyeing her outfit dubiously. But any comments she had, she chose to keep to herself for the time being. "Oh, really?" the older woman said, her voice dripping sarcasm. "The boy who almost singlehandedly caused this _entire_ mess is different? And who are you to know that, outsider? Who on earth _are_ you, anyways?"

Violet straightened, not meeting Kaya's eyes as she considered her answer. "I know...because Indigo is kind of an idiot. This past year, he's been kind, and strong, and he even saved my life about fifty times. He's regretted his decisions here every other second the entire time I've known him. And, well, an idiot like him couldn't be smart enough to deceive me on so many levels the entire time, right? Ah, sorry Indigo. No offense meant."

"None taken," her companion sighed, kneading his temples. "I've heard it too many times. And I have not saved your life 'fifty times'. Honestly, Vie! Maybe four. And a half, including that time you almost overdosed from _sugar-_"

Violet went red. "I was fine!" she complained, embarrassment filling her. "If you weren't such an overprotective pain in the butt-"

"Past _year_?" Kaya interrupted, staring at them both with new eyes. "Then it's true? Nivalis sent you to another time? And you managed to break one of _her_ curses?" She looked at the two of them like they were glowing and sprouting wings. Neither of them said anything, exchanging a wry look. After a long minute had passed, Kaya sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "You can stay. Of course, you knew I'd cave, idiot boy! I'll help in whatever way I can."

Indigo did _not_ look as if he'd been sure she would help. Relief shone in his eyes and colored his voice when he spoke. "Thank you. Sincerely, thank you."

Kaya did not respond directly to him, instead turning away irritably, muttering under her breath. "Over polite, _idiot _boy, just waltzing back after destroying the town...like nothing even happened!" She strode to the back wall, flinging open the fabric that hung down. She turned to the two of them, glaring all the more. "Well?" she demanded. "Aren't you coming? You _do_ want to get out of sight, don't you?"

Indigo walked forward without hesitation, having to duck to enter the room beyond the dividing canvas. Violet was more hesitant, ducking more because he had done so than because she was too tall.

The room beyond was dark. It didn't last, as Kaya followed, letting the flap of fabric fall shut behind them. She lit a lamp, moving in the darkness as though she knew where everything was, not even hesitating.

Violet winced as the lamp lit, shielding her eyes instinctively. She hadn't slept in...well, not since coming to another _time_. She hadn't slept since three hundred years from now. She had hidden her exhaustion well, around Indigo, but for some reason, this room made everything come back at her at once. She felt her weariness deep in her bones, and in every thought in her mind.

She fought back a yawn, a wave of old bitterness taking root around the weariness. Scenes from that horrific lab flashed through her mind, for the thousandth time. She barely reacted, this time. She wondered how Indigo had done it, before. Keep himself _human_, that is.

Then again, Indigo _hadn't_ stayed human, in the end. The thought was abruptly hilarious. Violet fought back a hysteric giggle, her eyes dancing with mirth. She glanced at Indigo out of the corners of her eyes, thoughts of him as a Lucario in her mind.

If she hadn't turned just then, she never would have seen him fall.

"Ah," she breathed, reaching for his hand on pure instinct, as he pitched to the side, his dark eyes already closed. Pain cramped in her side at the sudden movement, and Violet hissed, doubling over as spots swam in front of her vision. _How long had it been, actually? Two days? Three? She hadn't slept much the night _before_ the day she had been sent to the past...after all she'd done_...

Violet's knees hit the ground the same instant Indigo collapsed beside her, hitting the packed earth painfully. She kept hold of her waist, trying to breathe evenly as the pain faded. her eyes closed tight. It was funny, almost. She'd been ignoring her own needs for so long she'd almost forgotten, until just then. The body had a funny way of pretending to be physically fine, after a certain point of exhaustion. It was a natural reaction. Survival mode.

But that survival mode didn't mean the body truly was fine. It was just a way to function through wounds. Maybe if she hadn't been so far gone, she would have noticed that Indigo was just as bad as she was. Hiding his pain from her, just like she'd been doing.

"I thought so!" Kaya grumbled, sighing as she took in her two collapsed charges. "It hasn't been very long since he changed, has it? It will take weeks for him to adjust fully! Until then, he needs rest and nutrition. _He_ at least has a good reason. You were just stupid, not taking care of yourself like that! What on earth did you _think_ would happen, pushing it so far? There is always a price. And you've wracked up quite the debt, girl."

She glared at the hateful woman, still breathing hard. Kaya met her eyes with pride and scorn, her features sharp in the lamplight. Violet broke away form her gaze, giving up with irritation as she turned her stare to her hands instead. _She was right_. And _oh_, how Violet hated it!

"Come on," the older woman said, holding out a calloused hand to the kneeling girl. "Stand. Help me get Indigo into a cot...and then you can sleep! Neither of you get explanations until you can stand on your own two feet without swaying!"

Now that she had recognized the weariness, it threatened to overtake her. Violet didn't think she could stand. She did anyways, raising tall, her eyes and hands steady. She met Kaya's eyes evenly, and saw a flicker of emotion in them that might have been the tiniest hint of approval. Together, the two of them managed to get the dead weight of her friend onto on of the cots lining the room, where he lay, restlessly moving even in sleep.

"Wait," Violet said, as Kaya turned to leave. "I need answers. What on earth has been going on here, the past six months? Why isn't anyone fighting Doctor Camellia? And why is _Entei_ being held captive, like a guard dog? There's just so much...Riza should be fighting, but I haven't heard anything about her. Indigo...is he still considered a traitor? And what about the secret weapon from Layla's diary? It was supposed to be mentioned, but there was next to nothing even written about it! How are we supposed to take down that monster without anything?"

Kaya stared, her eyes sharp and cool. "You are well informed. I don't care. Answers can _wait_. I won't waste both of our time telling a story you probably won't remember when you wake up. You'll probably think this is all a dream anyways! Go to sleep. There will be more than enough action later. You can safely count on that."

She left the makeshift room, hung with heavy fabric that blocked almost all light, and Violet was left all alone. She bit her lip, standing uselessly.

She couldn't think straight. Not right now.

Violet lay down on one of the uncomfortable cots, her mind whirling. She was sure she'd never sleep, as keyed up as she was. There was too much going on, a new battle, an old war. Images flew across her mind one after the other, at lightning speeds, Indigo, as a human and a Lucario, her hazy imaginary Riza, a girl she still didn't know, the wondering crimson eyes of Kyra, the emotion on the mad Kings face as she fell, Allison, Piper, _Roy_. She'd never sleep, not like thi-

~o~

"He doesn't know, does he?"

The ghost image of Nivali didn't bother looking up, her head resting on her pristine cream paws. "_Of course not. He thinks the King is the enemy, still. He hasn't been here since that night, after all. He only knows his own involvement in the war."_

Night had long fallen in the camp. The large healers tent was lit only by a lamp, as Kaya sat in her old rocking chair. Her eyes were closed, as though she was asleep. The old healer _was_ tired, but not because of the hour. She was so tired of wars. Layla was the one who thrived under pressure, not her. If she were still alive, she'd be leading another army by now.

"So what now?" she asked wearily, to the fox who had brought such trouble to her doorstep once again. "He can't fight this. And that girl...I never did catch her name! Both of them are so young! Too young to enter the battle that's coming!"

"_It was like this last time as well_," the Ninetales reminded her from her place on the floor. "_The young princess was the one to stop the war, as I foretold. Of course, she had help! Thanks to Indigo, this war cannot be won the same way. He will have to find new weapons, or he will die._"

"And if he can't?" Kaya said, giving voice to the question that had been weighing on her soul for months. "If Indigo _cannot_ prevent this disaster?"

The fox was silent for ages, as if considering. "_Why ask questions you know the answer to?_" she mused finally, giving up. "_If he can't, everything ends. Everything we know. The world will be scorched to ashes by cleansing fire. If the legendary beasts, Entei, Raikou, and Suicune go to war again, the land will be annihilated. And it has _already begun._ Entei is no longer able to control its primal spirit. Thanks to Indigo._"

"But that is only one of the three! Thank the stars for that! We aren't lost yet...as long as the other two beasts aren't awakened, there is still hope. I have to believe that!"

"_The battle between Indigo and Tero is only the sidestory in this new war,"_ Nivali commented, yawing widely, baring gleaming fangs. She settled in deeper, her form nearly see through in the torchlight. "_Things are going to get worse from here. I wonder if this land will survive it?_"

"Of course it will," Kaya grumbled, louder. "It takes at least two to trigger the unbalance of nature. That idiot boy only awoke _one_. The worst has not come to pass yet."

~o~

She hadn't spoken to another human being in months. She found she could only talk to her memories anyhow. Memories, and the dead. There was technically Tero as well, but she did not count him as human.

It should have been harder, being along, but somehow she found herself adjusting. It was easy almost, because life reminded her of what joy felt like. She could not remember joy without pain. It seemed like every memory of joy she had included him, despite her long life before they met. Happiness was the only thought that hurt her still, after all this time.

Her heart clenched. It was an old ache. She ignored it, instead focusing on the problem at hand. The newly crowned king seemed perfect on the surface. He had brought the land quickly under his control, and Halladen had never known such peace. Crimes were virtually non existent, and the economy was thriving.

Yes, on the surface, Tero was the ideal king. He was kind, fair, and tolerated no wrong doings. In comparison, who was she, the demon princess, to compare? People were already calling her a monster, thanks to the widely circulating rumors of her insanity. _Such a shame. I always knew the old king was off. Just look at what he turned his daughter into! And the young prince as well! I hear Tero is trying to save what's left of his sanity. Such a good, wise king!_

Terin was the only thing still driving her to fight. If it weren't for him, she would have given up a lifetime ago, after everything fell apart. She had lost everything she held dear in a single night. Her family, her home, her people, _Indigo_.

If she hadn't left him, Indigo's hometown would not have been destroyed. He wouldn't have _nearly died_, because of her. If they had never met, his life would not have been stained with blood and pain. Her fault, that he was forced to play a dangerous game with a manipulative Ninetales. He might not even be _alive_ anymore...

But thinking such thoughts never helped. She had gone over every mistake she'd made a thousand times in the last six months. Tears didn't help either. A goal had turned out to be the one thing that could give her a hold on sanity. The King was powerful, but not infallible. If she fought, she might just win. There was just one problem.

The King had her little brother. She didn't know if he was even alive anymore. All her attempts to infiltrate the castle had been driven back, forcing her to fight her old friends and subjects, including Lily Aren and her battle hardened squad. Riza didn't blame them, although it broke her heart to see them fighting for _him_. They thought Tero was their savior, and he certainly acted the part well.

Riza knew the truth, thanks to a few ghosts that kept an eye on things for her. She knew that criminals had been disappearing off the streets. She knew that disabled children, and any who weren't productive to society had been vanishing without warning. She hated thinking about what had likely happened to them. She remembered the Doctor's lab, and shuddered.

Her brother came first. If it weren't for him, she would have attacked long ago. And Tero knew it. The last time she'd seen him, he'd given her a warning. A deal, he had called it.

"_You can attack me with any weapons you'd like. But call upon a single ghost in our battles, or you own abilities, and Terin will die. You have my word. I will destroy you eventually, princess. But I'm still enjoying the game, for now._"

She clenched her fist tight, but she was smiling. Had she thought that she was alone? That wasn't entirely accurate.

Riza looked out on her hidden valley, filled to the brim with mist and twisting hair danced around her face as she beamed, genuinely happy. She wondered how many ghosts were hiding under this veil, how many her army consisted of, and stopped trying. There were thousands at least. She had thought ghosts were filled with hatred, and greed, but that was before she had gotten to know them a little better.

She patted a floating Shuppet fondly, laughing a little despite herself. She loved every Pokemon here. She was finally free of her families curse and she loved it. How had she ever lived without such good friends and partners by her side?

She had abandoned being a princess, and been crowned a queen instead. Her army of shadows was useless against Tero until she got Terin back. And she could not save him until Entei was out of the way.

Thunderclouds spat overhead, rumbling with anticipation. Riza couldn't fight with ghosts. So she would fight with something much stronger.

The Raikou next to her rumbled approvingly. She grinned.

Tero had never found her, hidden in this valley of mist. And he never would. Because she was coming to _him_.

~o~

**A/N** Hey'a, K-tori here! Recently I've been less motivated to write...gah. Hopefully this doesn't turn into another three month hiatus. Can I just say I love writing anything Tero? He's the kind of villain I love from anime series after all...you know, stupidly hot, sadistic genius types? They. Are. Everywhere. But...that's because they really do make the best opposition! Haha.

Ok, you guys probably know this by now...but this story contains violence and blood, thus the T rating. It is also in the last arc, which is going to last about eight more chapters. I'm planning the death of one main character, and lots of other crap that'll be going down. Basically, be warned that this story is really meant for teens and up! Thanks for reading, and remember to drop me a review!

~K-tori out


	28. Light and Shadow

**DISCLAIMER: Ugh. I've done so many of these. I'm out of ideas. =_= I don't own...aw, forget it, you get the point by now! T^T**

~o~

Images of blood stained memories assaulted her senses, nightmare scenes of corpses and a grey sky, the color red far too bright to be real. The ground was coated in dark ashes, which clumped together around the bleeding, twisted bodies stretched painfully with hands reaching was always the same, these dreams. Hazy and changeable, the only common theme was death.

Sabrina took a deep breath before opening her eyes, staring at the shadowed ceiling above her with impassive eyes. The gym was silent, below her rooms, a testament to the late hour.

The gym leader sat up, swinging her long legs over the side of the bed. The dreams were getting closer together every week. It wouldn't be long, now. Prophecies of this strength were _never _wrong.

At the very least, Sabrina was glad the destroyer was nowhere near _her_ city. She could barely even see her, as if there was a thick fog between them. But a prick of worry had been eating at her heart, when she thought of the girl.

So young. So bright. And yet her future was not a good one. She wondered if Indigo had forgotten her prediction about those violet eyes, twin souls who were linked through time. He probably had, since his trainer had nearly died once already. She rolled her eyes with annoyance, striding towards the sink on the far end of the wall. Did _no one_ take her seriously anymore?

She had given a glimpse into the future to each of the colors, Violet and Indigo, and neither had come to pass. At least, not to _them_. After all, both of her predictions took place in the far past, though it was the future for them. It had nothing to do with her, anymore. The deaths she had seen were locked in time, a past that did not affect her in any way.

Sabrina splashed her face with water, as though to halt her thoughts. It didn't help, as the dream replayed in her mind. She was even a bit amused, in a twisted way, that such a dangerous monster was such a _tiny _little faerie Pokemon, rather than the massive dragon one would expect. Avery was different however. She would be the most powerful demon this world had seen in nearly a thousand years. And the girl still protected her.

_Not the boy, though_, she mused inwardly. _He has doubts. It will lead to problems, I'm sure._

The last thing she had seen in her dream was an image that sent a jolt of fear down her spine every time she thought of it, without fail. A child no longer, the fully evolved monster ripped apart everything that came in her way, her elegant white gown spattered with blood. Her eyes were bright and manic, mirroring the shade of blood, as a wide, playful grin stretched across her beautiful face.

Words would no longer reach her, Sabrina had told them. Had no one connected the dots? Had no one realized both her prophecies...would happen at the same time?

Avery would become a monster true, and Indigo's 'hope' would die. On the same hour, everything would be decided.

Sabrina closed her ice blue eyes, gripping the sides of the sink tightly. There were times she wished she did not know the future. She thought of Daniel, and Violet, and realized that this was one of them.

~o~

If Indigo did not get some kind of awesome enemy to face, he was going to go crazy. Actually, forget _awesome _enemy. He would settle for a less than average enemy. Even an enemy of little consequence at all. He wondered if there were any Meowth stuck in a tree, and sighed, long and wistful.

"Stop your complaining, boy! Get back to painting, or I'll throw you in Tero's dungeons!"

He half considered flicking paint at the old woman, but that was his bad mood talking. He sighed again, even deeper, and obeyed, dipping his brush into the pristine white liquid filling the wooden bucket. He stretched his human arm high, leaving a broken trail of white behind it. A stroke downwards along the same path and it was whole, a swathe of clean paint against wood. The work was coming along nicely, in his own opinion.

"You left drips," Kaya rebuked him snidely, smacking him in the arm so hard he nearly fell down. "Clean them up, and don't use so much paint next time!"

He winced, but did so, scraping his brush against the sides of the bucket to get rid of excess paint. The sun was incredibly hot, beating against the bare skin of his forearms mercilessly. Sweat beaded on his forehead, making his eyes sting, but his movements never faltered. Up and down, up and down, up and down. The repetitive motion was almost hypnotic, as the brown wall was slowly overtaken by the snowy white. When he was finished with the section in reach, he set down his brush, wiping his face with a damp cloth.

He could feel Kaya surveying his work without looking, with her critical eyes that could see even the tiniest flaw in the paint. "It's good," she said grudgingly, as though the words pained her. "Good job, boy."

He knew better than to comment. He allowed himself a small grin of victory, placing the cover back over the bucket to stop the paint from drying, picking it and the paint brush up without a word. The detail work would be done by the site supervisor, Jaece. His work was done.

"Get every once of paint out of that brush, do you hear me?" Kaya called from behind him with irritation, as he disappeared into the crowds. Indigo grinned even wider. Kaya never changed. It was refreshing in a way. He was used to it by now. Violet was having problems adjusting to the old womens attitude, however. He paused at the water spigot in the center of the community well, pumping crystal clear water from the earth. It quickly turned muddy and clouded as he rinsed the thick brush. He wondered how Violet was doing.

It had been a week and a half since he first woke as a human boy. It had taken far too long to get used to his new muscles and reaction time. Finally, _finally_, he could walk without thinking about every step, at least. Little tasks like the one he'd just finished were helping. He felt almost himself again, after an entire week of practice.

Maybe it wasn't so bad, taking a breather before jumping into the fight again, he thought inwardly, trying to convince himself. It didn't help much. At least he was helping, in a small way, rebuilding and painting new solid wood homes, the first steps towards a new town.

He had seen few familiar faces in this refugee camp...if it could be called that, with so much prosperity! Luckily for him, most of his hometown had settled in a different camp, to the east. Kaya had taken her family, and chosen to stay here instead, to function as the camp medic. Because of that, he had not been revealed just yet.

He wanted it to be a surprise, after all. Indigo smiled grimly, imagining the hazy features of his old enemy, surrounded even in his mind by smoke and flickering embers. Tero did not know he lived. Indigo planned to disabuse him of _that _notion quickly. He wanted to see doubt on that monsters face when he saw his fallen enemy standing before him once again, alive and strong.

Part of it was him, however. His physical body had aged sine he'd left this place last. He was probably about nineteen, maybe even older, and it showed. Gone was the soft boy he'd been in the past, gone was the indecisive fool who did not understand even the most basic truths of the world. He had grown, in more ways than one, to the point where not even Kaya had recognized him at first, a woman who had known him since childhood. Looking at him now, it was no wonder the people he'd lived with had yet to connect him with his past self.

Indigo stood, drying his hands on his pants as the sun leeched the water stains from the earth hungrily. He gathered the bucket, and the now clean brush, dripping slightly with frigid water, and turned back towards the rows of tents on the outskirts of the new buildings, and the skeletons of homes to be.

Kaya had refused to answer most of their questions thus far, under the pretense of his physical weakness after transformation. He had gathered some information on his own. Tero had taken the throne, and Riza was missing entirely. Whispers of strange disappearances, especially of criminals, were told in hushed voices around camp fires, whispers that the dark princess was taking her revenge, and punishing evil from the shadows. He knew that Tero had captured Entei with bonds of iron, stopping the rampage of a Legendary. And he knew that the young prince was under the care of the King of Fire, and said to be recovering.

They couldn't leave until Kaya gave them the final piece in the puzzle, which she'd been hinting at darkly under every breath. As soon as she did, they would be free to take the battle to Tero.

He sighed for the thousandth time that day, wishing for some kind of conflict.

The universe naturally chose that moment to strike. And the ground heaved underneath Indigo's feet, throwing him to the side in a movement so sudden and violent, he could not think but for shock. The bucket of paint shattered against the ground. Everything shook, and he heard screams from every corner of the camp, mixed with the dull sound of ripping cloth and shattering glass. Something hit him across the back, where he lay sprawled in the dirt, and spots flew across his eyes as all the air in his lungs was exhaled in a rush.

It took every instinct, every experience he'd had in the past, but Indigo's mind snapped out of the half second of shock, and remembered how to move. He rolled over quickly, grabbing the small bundle that had hit him in the back as he went, the ground heaving with bone grinding moans beneath him. He registered somewhere in his mind that the bundle he held was crying, clinging to his shirt with tiny fists. He held it closer automatically, desperately thinking of a way to get to safety. _The whole world was shaking._

Where could he go, when the danger was everywhere? Structures fell to the dying earth with the groan of snapping wood, overshadowed only by the sound of panic, as people tried to avoid falling rubble, and only mostly succeeding. Indigo heard the scream of a Ponyta as a shadow fell over him and the child. He had just enough time to look up, when the cart was flung over on both of them, the terrified Pokemon going mad with fear in her reins.

He didn't recognize the silence, at first, so alien was it in this place. He came to himself slowly in the sudden darkness, and heard nothing. That didn't last long, as people broke free of the shock. He heard shouts and voices, less terrified, but frantic nonetheless. It was only then that he realized the earth was still beneath him, and somehow he wasn't in pain. The bundle in his arms starting bawling underneath him, soft and very warm. He shifted slightly, testing his limbs carefully.

He raised one hand, touching the battered wood overhead. His eyes went wide in the darkness as he realized how perfectly the cart had fallen, with the hollow portion encasing them.

Just a foot to the side, and...

He brought up his other arm, letting go of the child. It didn't make much difference, as the crying mess clung to his shirt tightly, barely moving an inch when he let go. Indigo took a deep breath, bracing his hands and shoulders against the wood, and pushed with all the strength in his body. The cart shifted, the wood groaning as one end lifted precariously from the ground. He strained, breathing hard as he shoved, moving the heavy wood a bare inch at a time. It gave all at once, and the cart toppled to the other side, bathing them in sudden light when the sun was exposed once more.

Indigo stood, as he took in the scene, automatically supporting the child with one arm as he did so. Half the street had collapsed into a tangled mass of canvas and wood. Dust hung thick in the air, scattered by the sudden quake. Dirty people were picking themselves off of the ground, dazed. The Ponyta that had been pulling the cart was tangled in its traces on the ground, thrashing uselessly. Indigo stooped low, wary of her flailing, diamond hard hooves, and undid the straps of leather carefully. The Ponyta whinnied, her eyes rolling madly, but went still at his constant stream of soothing words. She ran down the street the moment she was free, tossing her head fitfully.

He watched the Pokemon go, strangely calm. He held the child tight when she started crying harder, making the same noises he had used with the Pokemon. He made an internal promise never to tempt the universe like that again.

And then, a realization. "_Violet_," Indigo whispered, his mind going blank with shock. She had been _indoors _during that. In an instant he was running full tilt down the streets, the girl held tight in his arms. He saw the devastation as he ran, broken homes, collapsed trees, a twisted spigot spraying water wildly into the air. Cracks stretched down the roads themselves, like the earth had shattered, some so wide he had to jump over them. The earth groaned beneath him once more, a loud aching sound that set his hair on end, and if he had been thinking at all, it would have been about aftershocks.

Running had been nearly impossible the last week he'd been in this place. But now his body moved as though it were natural, as if the action did not mater as long as it brought him to where he needed to go. He didn't even think of how running should have been impossible, and it was like he'd never forgotten how. Indigo did not truly register the fatigue in his limbs, or slow down in the slightest because of it. When he finally skidded to a stop, it felt like his heart had stopped, too.

Kaya's medic tent had collapsed entirely, broken beams of wood lying everywhere. Nothing was moving, save the thin stream of smoke from the half smothered fire pit. The center of the pile of collapsed canvas and wood yawed inward ominously. As though a crack in the earth had opened up _directly beneath the tent..._

"Violet!"

He set the child down hurriedly, and for once, her sobs had stopped. He ran, trying not to trip over the piles of cloth, searching desperately for any sign that his former trainer was alright. Of all the times...they weren't even _fighting _yet, she couldn't be-

A flash of blue crossed his vision. He would have noticed, if he hadn't clenched his eyes shut in that moment, his fist so tight his bones creaked. No. She had to be under this, somewhere. He would find her, even if it took all day. What he wouldn't give to be a Lucario just then, he thought bitterly. He thought of his useless human body, and snarled under his breath. He needed his old strength. He simply did not have it anymore. He was useless like this!

Greys and blues, life and the lack of it, vitality so bright it rivaled the sun. If only he could _see_. He remembered the sense of freedom, how he was connected to the life force of the planet itself, able to see the tiniest flicker of a heartbeat, in humans, in Pokemon, in the stones themselves...

He opened his blue eyes to the sunlight, and the memory washed away. Reminiscing would not help him here.

Lucario or not, he would find the strength to help her. He was the same person, and his ideals had not changed. He doubted they could, after having been forged in blood, and hope, and the cold blue fires of Aura.

He refused to consider the thought that it might be too late already.

The sun beat down on him during that next stretch of endless time, as he searched the ruins of Kaya's tent, the silence that returned his calls like an aching wound to his childish hope. He was sweating by the time he'd made a circuit halfway around the edges, carefully lifting beams and swathes of canvas, and setting them to the side. After a while, the silent child joined him without a word, even though she was more hindrance than help, lifting the edges of the thick fabric to peer underneath, sometimes running to him to show her finds.

He told her to stop, after she brought him a third battered book for inspection. The dirty child never spoke, much to his discomfort. Her brown eyes were too large, too solemn, and he did not know how to react to their steady trust. He would have to find her parents, he knew, but he pushed the thought away irritably. He wasn't leaving yet. Despite that, it was the girl who found it first.

He gave a wordless cry of triumph, almost before she had reached him, the seventh time after he had told her to stop bringing him small items form the ruined tent, snatching the sphere from her small hands with a surge of hope. The item gleamed dully in the sunlight, covered in dust. Avery's Moon ball. It was controversial, the emotions the sphere brought up in him. Hope warred with sudden despair. She was here. She wouldn't leave this behind, after all.

She was here. The thought brought pain, also, because part of him had hoped she had been outside, despite everything. "Where did you find this?" he asked the girl, making a note to ask her name at some point. She tugged on his shirt, and showed him the way.

His blood ran cold in his veins. The girl child did not seem to notice. She pointed towards the gaping bowl in the ground, where a gap had opened beneath the tent. The only thing preventing the items weighing down the cloth, already stretched tight and groaning, were the stakes and rubble pinning the remains of the canvas tent around the edges. She ran to the edge, completely fearless, showing him a tear that exposed the dirt below. She stuck her hand under the edge, feeling around, and pulled out another sphere.

This one he recognized as well. It had been his, once upon a time, after all. Indigo held his former Master ball, hardly knowing the emotion he felt. He had been something else for a long time. It was about time he remembered who he was. A trainer.

But never a traitor. Not this time.

"Avery," he called, tossing the Moon ball into the air. Of all of Violet's Pokemon, he had shared the strongest bond with the cursed fae. But would she listen to him? She never had before, under normal circumstances.

There was only one way to find out.

Avery burst out of her Poke ball with an echoing song, landing gracefully on spindle white legs. She looked at him, and then around, looking for Violet. "Avery," he said, catching her attention.

She looked at him, her head cocking to the side in dainty confusion. He saw the moment it hit her, as her crimson eyes flashed with shock. She trilled a questioning note, unsure, but he did not understand her. He did not like the knowing look she got as she settled back, her shock entirely gone. But he had other things to worry about.

"Violet is in trouble," he said simply, crouching down to be at eye level with the child. Her crimson eyes were as solemn as the lost girl's. "I need your help, little one. Can you lift this tent? For her?"

He did not like the amusement that flashed through those eyes. Or the disdain. But he could no longer understand those trilling words, and so did not know what she said, not exactly. But maybe her disdain was not undeserved.

The Kirlia put her hands together, as though praying, her huge eyes shut. A wave of scarlet and black flowed from her feet, spider-webbing along every line in the canvas, a silhouette of dark Psychic energy. Indigo stumbled to the side, barely making it off the canvas before it rose into the air, the shattered beams groaning as they shifted, more than a ton of weight supported by nothing but the Kirlia's dark power.

As it rose to the sky, he saw a pale hand fall from a pile of floating canvas. "Hold it right there!" he called abruptly, stopping the Kirlia in its tracks. Avery saw it too. She let out a breath, lowering her hands slowly. Everything fell, except for the glowing form of a girl and her remaining Poke balls, hanging in midair.

He ran forward, his hands outstretched, and Avery lowered the unconscious girl into his arms. He took her full weight as the Psychic dissipated gently, barely even noticing. He scanned her for injuries, relieved beyond measure when he found nothing serious. Bumps and bruises. Violet would live.

The bruises filled him with quiet anger, after his initial relief wore off. A side effect of all her adventures was injuries, and he hated it. But bruises were better than many things. The thought sobered him. She was breathing. Indigo pressed a kiss to her forehead, holding her tight, as though to prove to himself she was really there.

He turned, finally hearing the chaos of the after effects of the quake again. Kaya was there, staring with stunned disbelief at the Kirlia crackling with dark energy. Those stunned eyes turned on him next. Her grandson was by her side, along with the child he had somehow ended up with in the confusion. He stood in the wreckage of the old woman's home, holding the unconscious girl in his arms, as the city lay broken around him.

He wondered what he looked like, for a second. He felt like the warrior he had once been, made strong by his pain and determination.

They could not wait any longer.

"You will explain everything," Indigo said simply, his anger at Violet's injuries seeping into his voice bitterly. "Now."

Kaya stared at him hatefully, as though trying to think of a reason to refuse. Somewhere behind her, he heard the shout as someone spotted fire. People rushed past, as black smoke poured into the sky a few streets down. She made her decision quickly. "

Very well. Tonight, I will tell you both everything."

~o~

"No, no, no, _no! _Where is she? _Ella!_"

Tero kneaded his temples, ignoring the horrified screaming just behind him. "The problem with preexisting mental conditions lies mainly in the sheer unpredictable nature of the resulting cognitive capacities in test subjects," he explained out loud, almost absently. "While her physical genetic mutation has been altered, her mind is still disappointingly inhibited. It hardly makes sense, considering her_ mind _was fine in the first place. Autism, along with many of its relating genetic conditions, does not inhibit the actual electric functions in the brain. It merely forces the brain to see and react to various stimuli in only partially controlled ways. Put simply, there is no good reason for her impaired mental abilities, after the Pokemon Experiment fixed the chromosomal miscount in her genetic structure."

"Get away from me! I want Ella! Where is Ella?!" The girl stamped her foot like a child on the last word, her voice rising to a high keening scream. Mayanna's mouth twisted with distaste as she restrained the violent girl. Nialee's keening continued, her eyes screwed shut tight.

"And so, it follows that there is another reason for this singular response to the drug. Her emotional centers have been damaged, albeit, not as severely as yours, my dear. Nialee's responses to negative emotions, such as fear, worry, and pain, have been all but destroyed. Greed remains, and many of the base instincts of mankind. She is all but a child, and is incapable of mature mental growth without those negative emotions. She cannot grow, and she cannot worry about the future. But that does not explain why she is incapable of mental retention. Her learning abilities should not be so painfully low."

The tall girl collapsed like a marionette with her strings cut. Mayanna slowed her fall, and set her on the ground. She brushed Nialee's long dark hair away from her neck, pressing two fingers into the pale skin there. She nodded once.

"She ran out of air. And did not inhale."

Tero let his forehead fall into his palm. "...and lost consciousness, thus returning her respiration functions to unconscious thought. Maybe I've just been blind to the most likely cause of her learning block. The girl is an idiot."

His assistant stood, her hair falling around her shoulders in waves. She was not dressed in her usual formal attire that night. She wore dark pants that hugged her legs, and a long sleeved grey sweater- attire she could move in, while restraining the women and children he was working with that day. It suited her. He could certainly admire that.

"My lord," she said simply, her warm chocolate eyes solemn. "You don't need to do this. I am content, existing as I am. You do not need to save me."

_Stab_

"Don't be naive," Tero said coldly, returning to his work desk. He had chosen not to work in his new lab tonight. Some problems were best dealt with away from moans and crying after all. "I'm not doing this for you. The problem bothers me. I don't like unsolved mysteries."

Her eyes took on a wry amusement, the equivalent of breaking into laughter for the emotionally damaged girl. "It can't be done, anyhow," she said seriously. "Once the emotional centers have been damaged by the extensive change brought on by introducing alterable DNA from a Ditto into the normal cellular makeup, they cannot be returned. Not without death."

As if he needed reminding.

_Twist_

He had given the Ditto DNA to other girls, varying from healthy orphans to special needs outcasts. He did not much like the necessity of using healthy girls, with no criminal backgrounds, but he had not been able to rationalize affecting the experiment by only using the severely ill. So far, he had been able to replicate Mayanna's condition almost exactly with his various test subjects, with a few minor differences.

"I have not yet ruled it out," the dark haired man reminded her, daring her to continue arguing with a look. "Your emotions could be returned. I do not need an assistant with a half life! I may just replace you if you prove too much of a problem."

He was not serious, and she knew it. The brunette girl let it stand, stepping over Nialee to stand by his side. "And the girl?" she asked, the previous conversation already closed. "What of her? She is becoming more problematic."

It was a good question. Nialee was too violent. She had nearly killed the young woman, from the state of the hallway she had been frozen in. _Now _that_ girl...__  
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"For now, move her downstairs," Tero said with a shrug, not really caring. "I'll see what I can do. She's been valuable, but I suppose I'll have to kill her after all. Our good captain has raised several complaints about Nialee's handiwork. And when Lily Aren wants something, we all end up paying for it."

"Very well," Mayanna said simply, bowing her head once. She was silent, her wide eyes unblinking as she stared at him with solemnity. He knew her too well. He turned away abruptly, so he would not have to see her thoughts, written all across her blank face.

"Has my request been taken care of?"

She was silent. "Several possible candidates have been brought in, but...it will not be long, my king. If I have to search the land myself, your will shall be carried out. I swear it."

"No need for that," the rightful king said dryly, looking out at the darkening sky. The sky burned red, far in the distance. "That earthquake may prove to be an opportunity after all. It is hard to hide when everything is scattering for shelter. The anthill has been kicked, and I intend to seize the queen in the confusion. She will show herself. She declared war, after all."

"You intend to take her alive."

Tero turned sharply at the vague hint of jealousy that soured her tone. "Is that a problem?"

Blank eyes, boring into his own. "Better to eliminate her. You play too many games. It will be your downfall at this rate. Just remember how close it was with Indigo, due to your abysmal love of drama."

He relaxed as her voice became normal again. "You have no sense of art," he said, a hint of amusement coloring his voice. "Indigo was a poor idiot, easily manipulated, and _fun_ no less. He was not hero material. Maybe he would have been, someday, if he had survived. I almost wish he had. But I suppose it's too late for regrets."

Silence fell, as he watched the fire far in the distance, caused by the quake earlier. He had already sent aid, but the blaze had taken hold of the refugee camp. His land had seen more than their fair share of fires in his life. Halladen was a land bathed in fire and blood.

Unbidden, his thoughts returned to his failed experiment with Ella.

The girl had been almost seven, born autistic, and abandoned by her family. No one had missed her when he stole her away. It was much more reliable, testing using human beings rather than Pokemon. He was glad of the luxury, something that had not been as readily available before he had taken the throne. Ella had proved ideal. He had done to the child what Maya's father had done to her, and destroyed her emotions in exchange for power and health.

And then, he had attempted to restore her emotions. She had been his test in place of Mayanna, some one he would not risk with an untested procedure. And he had _succeeded._

Ella's emotions returned, as the damage to her brain healed. He had thought his experiment a success, before the blood started. She screamed, something she had never done while her emotions had been gone, and blood had streamed from her eyes, her nose, her ears, and her mouth.

An autopsy had revealed the rest. The little girls brain had swollen until it cracked her skull, as the chemicals released by the return of her emotions caused a catalyst with the drug he had created, and reacted violently.

There was only one conclusion he could make. If Maya's emotions ever returned, if that damage ever healed on its own, she would die. The chemicals in the brain that caused emotions would mix violently with the drug her father had introduced into her makeup, and kill her from the inside out.

He had loved her, once. He wondered wryly if he still did. Maybe she had been dead for too long. Even as she was, he would not allow any harm to come to her. His beautiful partner was always by his side, a precious glass doll with her insides hollowed out.

And she wondered why he created such games. If he didn't, his mind would rot, lulled by deadly whisperings of stagnancy. The kind of thing that happened when one was alone for too long. She was always with him, and he was always alone. He was used to it. But the boredom remained.

The air was sharp, and smelled faintly of ozone past his open window. It smelled of a storm, but the night sky was clear for miles. A column of black marred the far horizon, bleeding scarlet into the indigo sky, and all he could think about was the newest possibilities for the game, and the young woman with violet fire in her eyes.

"Mayanna," he said quietly, making his decision. "Send for Ren Darkstone. I have a task for him."

~o~

Indigo was covered from head to toe in soot, and dirt, and a thousand other things he didn't care to think about too much. He ached down to his bones. But still he did not sit, opting instead for a tense pacing that did nothing to calm him down. Kaya was nowhere to be seen.

"I'll go find her," he growled, turning on one heel. He was not made for sitting and _waiting_. With all that had happened today, he was too wound up to so much as think of meditation. Where was the old lady?

"Don't leave," Violet asked. His battered friend was stretched across a thick wooden bench, the closest thing the room had to comfort, lying on her less bruised side. "I'd hate to miss the next part of your TV drama, 'Indigo paces in increasingly violent ways'. I feel like a plot twist is coming up. Will he ever move to the other side of the room?"

He gave her a withering look at her lame jokes, but found her simple request had him bound in the room. "If you'd prefer, I could always dance," he responded acidly. "At this point, I'd consider it, if only for a change."

"I'd rather you showered. You smell."

"I'm sorry if my smell offends you, fair lady," Indigo retorted drily. His facade broke, and his eyes sparked with worry, which colored his tone. "Do you need a pillow? I could find one for you. Steal one for you. No one would miss a pillow."

Her glare intensified, making her look for all the world like an angry kitten. "I am not an invalid," she growled. "And you can't steal a pillow. I'd be ashamed to know someone who went to jail for such a stupid reason. We couldn't be friends anymore. I'd have to disown you."

He rolled his eyes at her to let her know what he thought of that, but subsided in his hovering. If she had the energy to joke, she would be alright. Aside from the bump on her head that had come form being knocked out by debris, her injuries were minor. All the same, he was grateful for the low light in the room, which hid her bruises in shadows. Sometimes blindness was bliss. And compared to the eyes he'd had a few weeks ago, he _was _blind. It was getting dark outside, but he could still see the red sky in the distance. The oil lamp on the floor flickered, casting dancing shadows on the walls.

He had spent the better part of the day fighting the fire, with Violet's Pokemon by his side. Wood and canvas towns burned quickly. He would _still _be fighting the fire, if it weren't for Violet. But when Kaya had taken her, he had followed, to an actual town about two hours away by cart. She hadn't woken until they had arrived, in Ebony Village. Joyce lived here, with her late husbands family, while she recovered from the injuries she had sustained on the Red Night. The family had agreed to hide him and Violet for the time being. They were in an old storage house near their home.

He watched the red sky, not knowing what he felt. Luckily, most of the inhabitants had made it out after the quake, and before the fire really took hold. He hoped the refugees would be alright. He knew most of them wouldn't be. He thought briefly of his mother, Lina, even though she had always told him she was not his true blood relation. Frail, loving Lina, who had died nearly five years ago. It had been a while since he'd thought of her.

He remembered why, and sighed, putting the memories aside. He had known she was dying, of course. She'd been sick for so long, after all. He'd been expecting it for so long that when she finally did pass on, he felt nothing but quiet sadness. That feeling was the same every time he remembered her. Even now, acceptance and tiredness swept through him, and he forced his thoughts back to familiar tracks.

He had just resolved to send one of Violet's Pokemon out for Kaya when the door opened, and the prematurely aged woman stepped through, leaning heavily on her gnarled cane. She shut the door behind her without looking at them, and walked tiredly to the chair in the corner. She sat with a long release of breath, her eyes shut tight.

A long, pregnant silence filled the room as Indigo waited for her to speak. It lasted so long he nearly exploded, but finally the old woman spoke. She looked directly at him with piercing eyes, her words dropping into the room like bricks.

"Things are much worse than you think they are. On the night you left this time, you started a war. Doctor Camellia is the least of your problems."

"What do you mean?" Indigo asked, completely caught off guard. Violet was listening too, her eyes wide. Whatever he had expected, _that _was certainly not it. To his utter frustration, Kaya fell silent again, casting her eyes downwards as though a burden were across her shoulders. "Tell us," he growled sharply, his patience wearing thin.

"Tell you," Kaya laughed bitterly. "Fine! Because of your idiocy, the entire kingdom...maybe even the world is in danger! The Legendaries are about to go to war, for the second time in a thousand years, and none of us have the strength to stop it! Hows that?"

He sucked in a sharp breath as two pieces of the puzzle snapped together in his mind. "Doctor Camellia...no, Tero. He enslaved Entei. Is that what you mean?"

She stared at him, her bitterness overlaid with something much stronger. "The King stopped Entei from rampaging. He probably saved lives. No, Indigo, the true culprit here is you. On the Red Night, you pushed your connections with Entei to the limit, and the Volcano Fur was destroyed. The artifact stripped Entei of its conscious thought, leaving it a primal beast with no intelligent thoughts. But when the fur was destroyed, Entei's mind did not return. It remains, powerful, ungovernable, and in the hands of the King of Fire. But _that _is not the real danger. Not anymore."

He and Violet exchanged a look, and without a word, she sat up, making room for him. He lowered himself next to her, staring intently at Kaya Acadia, preparing himself for whatever it was she had to say.

Age and helplessness warred with her anger, but it was not directed at him this time. "Long, long ago, there was a war between the three Legendary Beasts. I'm sure you've heard the story, Indigo."

He had. "The story of Princess Mireal," he explained to Violet. "A woman tried to harness the power of the furs, and accidently set the Legendaries against each other. The Princess, who had been resurrected once as a child, was able to use all three furs at once, and calm their hearts. She saved the kingdom, but died due to the effort. I told you that one, I think."

Kaya nodded. "Mireal was able to return the minds of the three beasts, because she truly understood their hearts. Her death brought peace, and prevented further calamity. But that cycle has begun again. The Legendary beasts are not simply powerful Pokemon. They are a part of the balance of nature itself. That balance has been thrown off by Entei's reversion to its primal soul, and the responses of the remaining two beasts. I fear one of the other beasts has taken a side, and the battle will begin again."

"How could you possibly know that?" Violet broke in, raising an eyebrow. "Entei we know is a problem. But we don't know anything about the other two right now, right? There's still hope. It takes two to fight."

"No," Kaya said simply, the weight of the world in that syllable. "There can be no doubt. Nature itself acknowledged it today, with the quake. The balance has been tampered with, and ever increasing natural disasters will herald the struggle ahead. Nivalis confirmed it. This is just the beginning."

"But...none of the legendary dogs are earth types," Indigo protested. "An earthquake heralding the beginning doesn't make sense."

"Weren't you paying attention, idiot boy?" Kaya complained, her eyes sparking. "It has nothing to do with type. The beasts are a part of the world, and their war sends everything off balance. Nature will howl, and people and Pokemon alike will have to attempt to survive long enough to tell of it!"

Silence fell over Violet and Indigo, awesome and imposing. "What can we do?" Violet asked finally, her voice small.

"There is only one person who can save us from the horrors to come. One person, who can prevent the earthquakes, tsunami's, storms, volcanos, and searing lightning. Only one, who can return nature to its balanced state, and prevent the greatest tragedy of all," Kaya said, her faded eyes resting tiredly on Indigo alone.

He sighed, more aggravated than surprised. "Of _course _it's me. It couldn't have been some farm boy from the next town. That would have upset the grand plan of destiny to make my life stupidly over dramatic. What do I need to do?"

"Return Entei's mind," Kaya said flatly. "And release it from Tero's grasp. If that happens, the beasts will have no reason to fight, and balance will be restored. The natural disasters will stop happening regularly as well. Normally, the fur itself would be used to reach Entei's heart and calm it, like Mireal did. But _you _destroyed that particular weapon, and now no one but you can even communicate with Entei on its deepest levels. It has to be you, or this land will be ravaged by lightning, fire, and water, as it was in times of old."

He absorbed this for a beat, and then responded. "You know I have absolutely no idea to go about that, right?" he checked, without much hope. Kaya nodded, and Indigo sighed. "It never rains," he muttered darkly, using a saying from Violet's time. "So I have to defeat the mad king with ultimate power, stop a war between the Legendary beasts, rescue a missing princess, and figure out how to return the sanity of a creature that has been terrorizing the country before it throws the entire world out of whack. Sound about right?"

"There's more," Kaya said, not noticing his sarcasm. "If the war between the Legendary beasts goes on, Ho-oh will appear to put a stop to it. It will cleanse the entire land in purifying fire, destroying all life, to renew and restore the balance before the entire world is thrown out of whack. The battle between the beasts must be stopped before Ho-oh is summoned."

"Of course," Indigo said with deep disgust. "The entire country." He stopped, a thought hitting him. He turned to Violet. "Wouldn't stories have mentioned if Ho-oh went on a rampage in Halladen? If you haven't heard of it in your time, it means we succeed, right?"

Violet was silent, considering his idea. "I did hear something about Halladen, before I met you," she admitted. She met his eyes before she spoke, her expression robbing him of hope immediately. "I-I heard that it disappeared entirely. Over three hundred years ago, according to the story. It was nothing but a childrens book, and I didn't connect it with you until much later, but that would make it around-"

"Now," Indigo finished for her, frustration at his impossible task filling his mind. "It would be during _my _time, and not far from now." He remembered something about that himself, from the very first day he'd spent in the future. Violet was right. "_Perfect_," he snarled, standing sharply.

"Indigo-"

"I'm fine," he said immediately, halting her inevitable worry. "No. I'm not _fine_, I just...I don't know what I'm supposed to... Defeating Tero was bad enough, and now this? I can't do this alone. Not with so much riding on it. I need to think, I need to make a plan, I need-"

"Alone?" Violet interrupted. He turned to her, surprised by her glare.

Her meaning sunk in, and the pressure that had been building up inside him disappeared as fast as it had come. He laughed softly, catching himself off guard. A single word, and suddenly he didn't feel as though the task were impossible. Just one word."Right. I'm sorry, Vie. Of course not."

"Together we can do anything," she reminded him, laughter in her eyes. "Even if you can't leap buildings in a single bound anymore."

The emotion that flooded through him was far too complex for him to identify. Hope, worry, determination, guilt, affection, nostalgia, all of it mixing and changing until is was something new altogether. It made him catch his breath harshly. He turned away quickly so she would not see, addressing Kaya once more.

"I'm going out. I'll be back before morning. Will Violet be alright for now?"

The calculating look in the old woman's eyes intensified at his words. "No one is looking for her. _You _on the other hand, will be in serious trouble if you get caught. Where are you going?"

He looked away from the red sky visible outside the window. "Nowhere in specific. I'll keep my head down, and disappear if someone tries to bring me in. I just...I could use some air. I'll be fine."

"Bring my Pokemon," Violet said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "If you run into trouble, Mr. Fin can eat them. Er. It."

"Right," Indigo said, rolling his eyes. "As if Mr. Fin would listen to _me._" He picked up her Poke balls anyways, slipping them into his pockets. He looked at Kaya, as if for permission.

She turned away, busying herself with tending the small fire in the lamp. "Until morning," she said harshly. "Don't be late, foolish boy."

He took that as the gracious permission it was. He nodded slightly at his mothers friend, and slipped out the door into the cool air.

The night air was chill against his flushed skin, a blessed change after his day of putting out fires. He escaped through the garden surrounding the storehouse, hopping the low stone fence encircling it with ease. Ebony Village was smaller than Karraket, and nothing at all compared to the towns of Kanto. The small buildings were built low to the ground, made of stone and topped with roofs made of ancient thatch. The wide, winding streets were cobbled entirely with grey stones, worn smooth by thousands of feet over the years. It was small and quaint; a town that seemed to be sleeping even in the light of day.

The moon hung fat and yellow in the sky, half hidden by wispy clouds that could have been remnants of the fire. The small stone homes lining the streets were close together, with barely any space separating them. The monotonous color of rock was broken up by playful boxes of flowers lining nearly every window sill, spilling bright color and dark waxy leaves the colors of emeralds nearly to the ground. No one was walking, except for him. It was a beautiful night.

And yet he did not notice, except as a passing courtesy. Ironic that after years of thinking of nothing but Riza, now that he was actually in the past, all he could worry about was Violet.

Two sides of the same coin. But she was here, in front of him now, and he hadn't seen Riza in a lifetime. He felt guilty for even thinking it. Maybe his memories were playing tricks on him. No one could be as beautiful as she was, after all. He wondered if she ever thought of him.

He was being silly. Of course she thought of him.

He had killed her parents.

He had destroyed half her country with an unconscious connection to Entei.

He had practically _handed _the throne to a madman with a habit of torturing innocents.

She probably cursed his name _every day_. And still, he could not shake the yearning in his heart, to see her face just one more time. He wanted to make everything right, for her sake, no matter what she thought of him. He would do anything to prevent her tears, anything at all. Even if he had to level a country, like he'd nearly done the last time.

In many ways his resolve had not changed. But _he _had. He was not the same person who had left this time. His feelings were the same, but the mind that guided them had matured. His resolve to fight was still there, but now it was more refined, steel instead of bravado. He was forged by loss and guilt, and healed by a girl who could accept that. He still loved Riza, but it was no longer an all overwhelming passion that clouded his mind, and made every second apart an agony.

He worried about her welfare. But he trusted her to be able to take care of herself. Riza was strong and capable, and would not want him to pine after her every second of the day. He knew that, and accepted it. He loved her, but he recognized her flaws. She was overbearing, fiercely independent, and a complete drama queen. She had an unnatural hatred of pears. And she flirted with evil more than he cared to admit sometimes. She was a ridiculous, masochistic prick, and the very thought of her made his heart warm, to the point where he couldn't help but smile.

His feelings towards her had matured as well. The thought made him grin with completely immature pride, remembering the idiot he had been before, and how he was completely grown up _now_. _He _would never be such a blind idiot again. That was past Indigo's problem.

He could only imagine what Violet would say to that. It probably involved snickering. He glowered at the thought, but it didn't last long.

Violet.

Indigo sighed, kicking at a loose stone. The moon had risen during his walk, the soft glow illuminating the streets as well as the dawn. Somewhere, a Mightyena howled to that moon, the sound low and mournful. Violet. What was he going to do about _her?_

She had lost a home, a family, and an entire world. He of all people knew how that felt.

The only way he could live with the guilt was with a promise he'd made to himself, an oath that could never be forgotten. He _would _find a way to send her home. He didn't care what it took. She would not be trapped in his time, a past so archaic as to seem stopped still, compared to her world. Violet would never share his fate, or his endless regrets. She had done it all for him. It was only fair that he stop at nothing to help her find her home again.

He looked up at the deep blue sky, and wondered how he was going to survive a goodbye, this time. His mind shied away from the thought, and the inevitable pain that came with it. He wanted to keep his ridiculous friend forever, and that could not happen if she was to be happy. Her happiness came over everything else. He would simply have to live with that.

The Mightyena's howled in the distance. He turned his head at the noise, wondering what had gotten them so riled up. After a time, he shrugged, turning back towards the house. The sounds cut off quickly afterwards, and he thought no more of it.

It was too beautiful a night for such worries. He would take care of everything, with time. Together they could do anything, after all. Their time in the future had proved that. He wondered what would happen to the friends they had left behind, but stopped such thoughts immediately. He would never know, not now. He had his own path before him. He could not be distracted by things he could not alter.

He had a world to save. And a friend to send far into the future. He didn't have time for regrets.

Time enough for that, later.

His ears were assaulted by the howling of Mightyena, so close he had to slap his hands over his ears to block out the noise. Shifting shadows, and fleet footed forms swept around him, snarling and barking in a mad cacophony. None of them came within ten feet of him, but he could see them, in the farthest reaches of the deep shadows cast by the full moon. It was over within moments, and he was alone in the street once again. He could still hear their barking, retreating into the distance.

A flicker of dread kindled in his chest.

And Indigo was running, full tilt down the darkened streets. Because despite all reason, despite the odds, and the knowledge that no one was looking for Violet, he was sure that something was wrong.

The pack of Mightyena had been headed in the exact direction of their hideout. And he would rather be out of breath and wrong than too late to do anything. His hands went to Violet's Poke balls, still in his pocket, and realized with a cold burst of dread that he had taken her only defense with him.

If anything happened, it would be on _him__._

He gritted his teeth and ran faster, his long strides eating the distance almost as effortlessly as if he was a Lucario still. The moon taunted him from above as the sounds of howling grew ever closer.

The garden around the storehouse was filled with wolf Pokemon. They paced and snapped their teeth, fighting amongst themselves for the best positions. Their racket had quieted into a gentle snarling, low and throaty. He never stopped running, vaulting the low wall without breaking stride, his hands selecting a Poke ball automatically. The wolves turned on him at his entrance, leaping at his legs with bone white fangs. He fought his way through as best he could, maximizing the sphere in his hands. Teeth bit into his leg above the knee, and again on his calf, the wounds shallow but painful. He raised the Poke ball back to throw it, when a warbling whistle sang high, silencing the Mightyena as effectively as a gun.

The whistle faded, and the wolves backed away from him, grumbling. A figure stood in the door of the storehouse. It was a man, tall and muscular, his clothing dark enough to blend in with the colors of nightfall. Indigo could not see his features, hidden as they were by the shade, until he stepped into the light.

He had short, dark brown hair that didn't look as if it had met a brush recently. It overshadowed his burning dark eyes, and matched the unshaven stubble on his jaw. He carried an air of unspoken authority that every wolf Pokemon obeyed unthinkingly, and a sense that he was more dangerous than any of the sharp fanged Pokemon around him. In one hand was a knife. And slung across his other shoulder was Violet, her form limp and unmoving.

He took in Indigo's fighting stance, and the Poke ball half hidden in his hands, and laughed out loud. "Send the boy to sleep. It's past his bedtime," he mocked, his voice a deep baritone. "We have what we came for."

Indigo's eyes flashed with furious anger, power welling up inside him very similar to Aura. Before he could do anything, anything at all, a crushing force hit the back of his neck, and Indigo knew no more.

~o~

**A/N** Hi. So. I have a lot of fun stuff planned. :D Reviews are my candy, and it only takes twenty seconds-ish to give me a sugar high, which, by the way, is a great thing for an author you want to update faster. (Sugar is good for plot bunnies, and other kinds of plot-animals) *nods sagely* So you totally should! Because I love you all and want to hear from you! And I may have a bet with my cousin riding on this! XD

This chapter needs a bit of work, but...I wanted to get it up as quickly as I could. Nothing is worse than having to wait ten years for the next chapter of things -.- So I shall fix minor stuff in a day or two. For now, enjoy!

~K-Tori out! :D


	29. Angels Dance

The wind howled through the battered stones of Halladen castle, bending the massive trees on the grounds, and forcing the brightly colored banners on the ramparts to snap together. The clouds above were dark, strangely greenish in color, swirling sluggishly as they boiled with deep thunder and sharp cracks of golden lightning. The very air smelled of ozone, electric and alive, promising a storm that would reinvent the world.

Riza Calariam stood on the walls surrounding the castle, her long white cloak billowing behind her, as lightning cracked the sky. Her dark violet eyes promised murder, as she faced her enemy, the man who had stolen her throne. She did not hide or flinch away, standing strong, heedless of the rising gale. High pitched giggling whispered through the wind, as red eyes and bright smiles drifted in and out of existence around her lithe body; her army of ghosts, just waiting until they could join the fight that was brewing around them like the storm above.

Thunder boomed through the heavy clouds, the sound so deep it vibrated in her very bones. When it faded, grumbling back into the sky, the ensuing silence was awesome and complete, the absence of sound almost a physical relief.

Tero stood on the castle's roof, a dead eyed woman beside him. He was dressed for battle, with custom made black armor that glinted with veins of gold, and her fathers crown resting across his brow. His soot black eyes regarded her with the same coolness, the same lack of fear. When he spoke, she heard him as though they were standing in the same room.

"I've been expecting you, dear Princess. Did you think I would not know, when you made your move? I've been waiting for this for a long time."

Lightning lit up the broiling clouds, accentuating his words. "Did you think I would not know?" he said again, his voice breaking through the air like a whip. "That you were preparing for war?"

Thunder exploded in the clouds above like a collapsing building, screeching and groaning as loud as an earthquake. It lasted for near ten seconds, before it was swallowed by the rising winds. The exiled Princess met his mocking eyes squarely, unfazed by what she already knew. Around her, the ghosts laughed, whispering amongst themselves. They yearned to begin the fight, to strike first and draw blood, to drink the agony of their fallen foes, and use it to gain the power to kill more. Their excitement was growing, but she held them back with a gentle, but inexorable effort. It was not time. They could not attack until Terin was safe.

But something else could.

"I am not alone!" she shouted, and the ground shivered with glee. "I brought something else, this time," she continued, and the ground shook once more, as though it had been struck with a powerful force. "This time...justice will be dealt!"

Lighting shot up around her, from the opposite side of the wall, and a great, leonine form leapt from the tongues of sizzling energy, a shrieking roar issuing from beneath its massive, curving fangs. Thunder struck again, but that roar all but drowned it out, the sound like electricity personified, high and double timbred. Raikou hit the ground inside the castle walls, and it shook again, as a shock wave of sky blue electricity burst from its paws into the earth, fading out as it was absorbed by the dirt. It rose to its full height, the lightning stripes in its fur crackling with power.

"You're playing with forces you don't understand," Tero acknowledged, his eyebrows shooting up. "Do you honestly think you can control the beast? Indigo couldn't. And he was stronger than you, dear girl."

"Don't speak his name!" Riza hissed, her eyes bleeding black with ghostly power for half an instant. "You do not have the _right_! Today this ends. I will avenge Indigo, and my parents! Your time is finished!"

As she finished speaking, twin blades appeared in Riza's pale hands, long knives the length of her forearms, the metal wickedly gleaming. The ghosts around her cackled with glee, their excitement growing. Raikou faced its enslaved counterpart in the courtyard, both of them waiting for some signal that no one else could understand. Tero laughed, as though this were the greatest thing he had ever heard, the sound truly delighted. As though he knew something she didn't.

"You want your brother, Princess? Come and take him!"

Her heart stopped as a small figure stepped up next to Tero, high on that wall. He was dressed in black, padded armor, a mocking counterpart to the man who had destroyed their lives. Terin was taller than she remembered, and more grown up. His brown hair was tousled by the wind, over his deep blue eyes.

Her little brother.

Pain constricted her heart like a vice, as a thousand memories assaulted her at once, seeing her brother again after all this time, and the ghosts shifted uneasily, murmuring at the strength of the human emotion in their Queens heart. Their anger grew, bordering on the edge of rebellion, but she was able to hold them back, with some part of her soul that wasn't focused on love, and pain, and loss.

Her little brother, and only living relative. Whose smiles had supported her through the last war she'd fought against this monster. Her little brother, who had been cursed like she was, and cured in the same agonizing way. Who had reacted badly to the cure, and been destroyed utterly in mind and soul, as Tero's drug reset his mind entirely.

Terin, who no longer even remembered who his big sister was.

"You'll pay for this," she swore. "I'll _make_ you. Monster!"

On her last word, the hosts of undead shadows shrieked their support behind her, like nightmares and human screams, and, not for the first time, Riza was reminded uncomfortably of how inhuman _she_ really was. She ran straight forward, her steps supported in midair by the semi-solid ghosts, Gengar, and Banette, and Mismagius, who held her feet aloft as she ran, her twin blades gleaming in the lightning filled air as her cloak snapped behind her.

He did not move, as she attacked with inhuman fury, did not even raise a hand to summon fighters of his own. Tero smiled, ever so slightly, watching the furious angel of the undead come for his blood. He met her eyes squarely as she ran up her stairway of ghosts, his gaze almost mocking.

He tapped her fathers crown, his grin growing wide. Riza's beautiful face twisted with fury. She threw one of her long blades with all her might, her mind calculating angle and wind speed almost automatically. The wicked steel sang through the air as it streaked directly towards Tero's throat.

He did not even bother to dodge. In the end, he did not have to. Because Terin moved first, a blade of his own in his slender hands.

Riza's eyes went wide as her knife was knocked away, spinning end over end in the stormy air, the light glinting off its polished surface. Her breath caught, and for the longest moment, nothing seemed to move, save the golden hair around her face.

Terin straightened, whipping his thin sword downwards as if to remove something unclean from its surface. He met Riza's violet eyes evenly, no expression on his face as he protected the man she had sworn to kill. There was no flicker of recognition in her little brothers eyes.

Something snapped into place in her mind, as Riza remembered. _He might be able to live a normal life, under Tero's care_, he mind recited, altering the words to fit her new knowledge. _New memories can be created, over the ashes of the old. He can never regain those lost memories, but..._

"What have you done?" Riza whispered, her voice barely audible. "What have you done to _my brother_?"

The wind was calmer now, the silence before the storm. It carried her words to the King. He smiled, and Entei roared in the courtyard beneath him, spreading glowing red light in between the cracks of the cobblestones. Great booming cracks ripped the silence apart, as the heavy iron shackles that held the beast back fell to the earth as one.

"I have done nothing," Tero said simply, raising his hands as if to her they were empty. "-but help him create a new life. Princess."

Entei roared again, belching flames into the sky in a torrential cyclone or heat, and Raikou answered with a shrieking roar of its own. Lightning tore through the roiling clouds, so large it blocked out half the sky, leaving bright shadows on the backs of her eyelids. She stood in midair, held by ghosts, as the Legendaries went to war beneath her feet. Riza barely even noticed.

Terin stepped onto the low wall surrounding the roof, and leaped off, the motion practiced. Wings snapped out behind his back in a flash of light, as a Pidgeotto held onto straps built into his strange armor, lifting him up so he could fight on her field. A long, thin sword, almost fragile looking was held in his child's hands.

Riza lifted her remaining blade numbly, thousands of ghosts filling their battlefield, as the first drops of rain pattered down from the green grey clouds. She had not planned for this. How could she have? A thousand memories came back at her once more, memories he would never share with her again, and Riza was reminded that she _was_ human, not an omnipotent queen of darkness. Her heart cried out, and she _felt_.

There wasn't anyone coming to help her. Not this time. The heart she'd half convinced herself she didn't have broke in two, and it felt like curiously like dying.

She did not notice the tears streaking from the corners of her lavender eyes. Riza raised her blade into a fighting position, and faced her brother in battle.

~o~

The wind was screaming when the dark haired girl opened her violet eyes. The sky was filled with grey, angry clouds, and the bass rumble of thunder. Somewhere, men were shouting about a flyaway tent, and the rising storm. She smelled burnt porridge, and the hint of lightning and rain.

Her wrists and ankles were bound tightly and skillfully. She could not even wiggle them around. A dirty gag was under her tongue, tied painfully tight around her head, which ached besides. She shifted, trying to judge her wounds, and found none. She shifted again, pulling at her rope shackles. They did not budge, despite several hard yanks. Even if she _could_ walk with tied ankles, the ropes at her wrists were connected to some sort of stake. She wiggled her mouth, trying to loosen the hateful gag, but only succeeded in making the taste of dirty cloth grow fouler.

She didn't know who had captured her, or why. She didn't know if she was alone, or if Indigo had been their true target. She didn't know _anything_, and that scared her.

Her Pokemon were with Indigo. Surely he had not been captured. He wouldn't have been so stupid, opening the door at a knock in the middle of the night. _He_ would not have thought it was alright, since no one knew where they were, _he_ would have known better than to think it was her, returning from her walk, if their situations had been reversed.

He had to be okay. Indigo was the strong one. He would never be taken. Not in a thousand years. Not if-

She forced her mind away from Indigo deliberately, making a conscious and painful effort. It would do her no good. Violet turned her attention to her surroundings instead, taking in her open air prison with wary eyes.

The camp was absolutely filled with Mightyena and Houndoom. They lounged around a flickering fire, hastily made and shuddering in the wind, growled and snapped at one another, and ran between the legs of men, who yelled and kicked at the wolves. Never, never had she seen so many Mightyena in one place. She started to count, and stopped herself harshly around forty.

And yet she did not see a single Poke ball.

A voice startled her from her thoughts. A man crouched in front of her, his dark brown hair tousled and messy."You're awake, Princesa," he acknowledged, his voice deep and rough and intriguing. He had not shaved recently; stubble marked his jawline, darker than his tanned skin. His eyes reminded her of a predator, strong and so self assured it was a part of his being. "How are you feeling? Happy?"

She glared drily, her silence pointed. His eyes were too clever; she got the sense he was smiling, even though his lips never so much as twitched. He reached out, putting one hand on the top of her head, drawing it back. With his right, he pulled a long silver knife from his belt with a practiced motion, the metal hissing faintly as it slid free.

Violet panicked, squirming futilely at the sight of that blade, her eyes going wide with fear. She tried to jerk free from his restraining hand. His fingers dug into her hair as he tried to maintain his grip.

"Hold still or I might cut your pretty face by accident, Princesa," he warned, his tone dangerous. She lapsed into stillness at his words, shaking ever so slightly as he slid the cool metal between the gag and the skin of her cheek. With a practiced twist of his wrist, the cloth split evenly, falling away. The rough looking man returned his knife to its sheath, and picked the cut gag off her right shoulder. The wind tried to steal it from his hands; he returned it to his pocket before it could blow away.

Violet's tongue hurt from being forced to the roof of her mouth for so long. "I'm fine. Thanks." Her voice was quietly sarcastic, and the man laughed.

"You aren't," he chastised her, moving to sit on her right. He sat too close, settling in to get comfortable. His nose looked as though it had been broken badly in the past, and set wrong. "Why don't you tell me what's on your mind, little girl? We have some time before we move on again."

"Where?" she asked, her heart leaping with hope at the thought of answers. He didn't make her wait.

"The dungeons of Halladen Castle. Your days are numbered, Princesa."

"_What_?" she breathed, her eyes going round with horror. Her body froze, as though in shock, and she felt like she couldn't inhale. He kept talking, as though to fill her silence.

He shrugged. "That's just how it is. Tero wants you alive. And he gets what he wants, no matter who dies for it. Have you ever seen a corpse, Princesa?"

"Who are you?" she demanded, pushing her other concerns to the side for now. "How can you work for...for that-"

"Simple," the man cut in, turning to look at her. She leaned back instinctively from his rough shaven face, and his powerful features. "I am well paid. My name is Ren Darkstone. You wouldn't know me by that name. However, you may have heard of another. I am the child hunter, the wolf whisperer, and the doom of night. I am the King of Fire's hound, and I do his hunting when it is inconvenient for him to do so himself. And I am well rewarded for doing so."

Violet's gaze went frosty. "Sorry," she whispered, meeting his dark eyes squarely. "I've never heard of you.

"Is that right?" Ren mused. "Perhaps you've heard of my predecessor. He was known as the Nightwalker."

Violet's eyes flashed with recognition, and then horror. He had taken over for Indigo? She had known that her friend had done some terrible things, but surely he hadn't...

Three Mightyena stopped in front of them, breathing heavily. Ren sat up, his demeanor becoming harsh. He picked up the cloth scroll dropped from the panting jaws of the largest Mightyena, unrolling it swiftly. He nodded, whistling high and sharp. The grey and black wolves barked, as though in answer, before breaking into a run towards the other end of the camp.

Violet stared, taking in the strange scene with wide eyes. Ren saw her look, and laughed, low and quiet, the sound almost carried away entirely by the rising and ebbing wind. "No. They aren't mine. I don't use Poke balls, because it would be redundant. I have their obedience. And as long as I am the strongest, I'll always have it. The pack recognizes their leader, without the need for restraints. That's how the wild works. Strength rules all."

But Violet was already shaking her head, her eyes closed until she started speaking. "The world doesn't work like that; it isn't so black and white. Strength goes hand in hand with kindness. Both are useless without the other."

He shrugged, unimpressed with her argument."You're just a girl. Even if the King does want you. That's how the world is, and always has been...and how it always will be. You can't claim to know the future."

She could think of a few responses to _that._ She could only imagine what kind of response she would receive if she told him she was born three hundred years from now. She asked something else that had been bothering her instead."You carry one Pokeball," Violet said, admittedly a little curious. "Why?"

He looked at her sidelong. "Good eye. This isn't mine, though. Tero gave it to me to break, as a present. I'm saving that challenge for a rainy day, when our good Captain Aren can watch. Now that," he said appreciatively, "Is a fine piece of work. Smoking hot, proud as the sun, and a fighter to boot. I could break _her_ too, and don't think I wouldn't enjoy it. I've handled enough strong willed Mightyena to know what I'm doing. There's fire in your eyes, too, Princesa...but that won't last long in the hands of our king."

His words went straight to her heart, stinging like an arrow, because she'd been trying not to think about where she was being taken. It was hard to be brave when she had no weapons to fight with. It was hard to be strong without a defense of any kind.

He leaned back, watching the makeshift camp go about its business. It looked as though they were packing up already, preparing to go on the move again. She could see a mountain range in the distance, and maybe a dark area that was the haunted forest. She wondered what kind of people lived in this land, in her time. She couldn't imagine tall buildings, or airplanes flying through the skies. Not looking at the beauty around her. Plains stretched for miles and miles in every direction, the long grass undulating in the storm. Rain started to fall, little stinging drops that were delivered painfully by the wind.

And Violet was afraid. She was alone, a captive, and didn't know if anyone was coming. How could they, with a storm like this? And if she didn't escape...

She thought of that lab, and that cruel smile, and was very, very afraid indeed.

She needed help.

Ren rose, brushing off his brown pants. "I don't have time to chat anymore. A storm is blowing in, and a bad one at that. Don't get any ideas about escape, either. We can't kill you, but the King said nothing about _hurting_ you." He stopped, before he walked away, turning to look back at her for what seemed like a long time. "Tero doesn't usually ask for girls. Not normal ones, at any rate. You've attracted the attention of a dangerous man, Princesa. No telling what he wants to do with you. Try not to die. Not that I care."

~o~

Indigo had never felt more alone.

The sky seemed to mirror his soul, dark and howling, a storm so intense he had never seen the like. But it was nothing, nothing at all, compared to his desperate worry and pain.

He had known this could happen. He had known that his stupid war could get her hurt, or worse, and he had wanted her here anyways. Violet, who had already suffered so very much, was in danger on _his watch_, no less.

How could he have known? Violet was never a target. Why now? Why hunt her, instead of himself? Was it a way to get to him? But no, Tero didn't know he was alive. He didn't know for certain that Tero was even _behind_ this.

The why could wait. Energy shot up his arms similar to the rush of Aura as he clenched his fist, death in his shadowed eyes, as he looked at the land before him, pummeled by the wind. In fact, he might never find out the why.

It had been a long time since he'd wanted to kill someone. And at that moment, Indigo truly believed he could.

"Geo," Violet's Ditto said worriedly, cocking it's head back towards him. The powerful copy of the Pidgeot was straining against the wind, the feathers on its massive wings laid nearly flat by the gale. He could no longer understand its words, but the meaning was clear.

"I'm fine," Indigo said simply, his murderous anger making his words almost a threat. "But whoever has taken her will not be."

The Pidgeot's eyes flashed with approval, as it rode the angry crosswind, tilting in midair. Violet's Kirlia sat just in front of him, her eyes shut tight as she concentrated deeply. It was her who led them in Violet's path as best she could, despite the disruption that the Dark types around her trainer caused in her Psychic powers. The pristine white Kirlia was shaking, her dainty hands pressed to her temples. Every so often she dropped one arm, pointing a slight course alteration farther into the storm.

Her Pokemon had given up their misgivings about obeying him almost entirely by this point. He would not allow a lack of discipline, or anything less than their all...and then some. He had driven them hard since he woke the night before, hours wasted by unconsciousness. He would never, never forgive himself if she were hurt. Even if it meant forgetting the meaning of kindness, after everything.

Of course, he hadn't come with Violet's Pokemon alone.

"Alright fox," the dark haired boy growled, never looking away from his course. "How far?"

The voice that responded went directly into his mind, stabbing with a sharp, familiar pain. "_About fifteen miles. The demoness has led you true. Mostly. You've gone too far west. Your former trainer is to the right roughly forty degrees, and then straight. She's awake now. And fears. She would not know such fear, had you not dragged her into your war, Nightwalker_."

"I'm well aware," Indigo said quietly, his voice laden with pain and regret, rather than the simple anger he would have felt once. "Is she...is she alright?"

The fox laughed at the obvious hesitation in his words, her telepathy reaching him through the confining prison of her Poke ball. "_That_," she said simply, with quiet glee. "-_is the least of your problems. Oh, two at once! This is too good. What will you do? One will die if you choose incorrectly."_

"What do you mean?" Indigo tried to say, before the sudden wind stole his words, and sent the Pidgeot beneath him reeling as it tried to stay airborne. He gritted his teeth, stopping halfway through. "Land, now! We can't stay up in this weather any more!"

The Pidgeot answered with a grateful trill, winging down to the scattered trees below, the farthest edges of the Whispermist forest. He could even see the castle, far in the distance. According the fox, Violet was somewhere in the plains to his right. He really _had_ overshot his trail. It didn't matter. He would find her, before something happened.

"Rest for a few minutes," Indigo shouted, sliding off the Pidgeot's neck to the high branch of a tree. He held onto the trunk with one hand, returning Avery and the Ditto in succession.

He started violently, nearly falling off the already swaying tree as the ghost image of the Ninetales appeared beside him, sitting serenely on the previously empty branch. "_Both are in grave danger. It is entirely possible neither will survive the next day. But there is a chance you could do something. You care enough, and you're stupid to boot. The choice is ultimately your own._"

"I don't know what you mean, but don't bother me. I'm going to save Violet. Nothing is a bigger priority than that," Indigo said, his voice rough. "Nothing compares to her safety."

"_You are wrong. There is one thing, and one thing only, that is comparable. Indigo, look to the castle, and you will see," _the Ninetales said simply, her tails waving in a breeze far softer than the gale surrounding them, as her solemn red eyes faced unerringly towards Halladen Castle, a small figurine in the distance.

He hesitated, because he knew from her tone that this was a trap of some kind. But Indigo looked, and he saw. It was a while before he understood, and then that understanding knocked the wind out of him completely and utterly.

Lightning forked around the dark stone walls of the castle, blue and white. But that lightning did not come from the sky. It arced from the ground, and into the sky. As he watched, a red pillar exploded upwards, and a fire kindled briefly in his heart, puttering out as the pillar dispersed.

More strange were the shadows that seemed to surround the castle, like a living cloud. He hadn't seen shadows like that since Fuschia city, when Karo had brought an army of ghosts to-

Ghosts. There was only one person he knew of who would be surrounded by a thousand ghosts.

As fire warmed his heart once more, fading with the red glow on the clouds, Indigo knew and recognized Entei's flames. And the fox laughed quietly as the pieces started to fit in his mind. Because it was everything they'd feared, if Entei was at war with another beast. And the only thing that could fight a legend on equal ground was another legend.

"_Your Princess has started this war. And she needs you, too. She may die. Who will you choose? The girl you once loved, who you've fought to get back to for nearly two years, or your best friend, the girl who redeemed your very soul? You only have time for one. And you do not have much time to decide."_

Her words didn't even sink in fully, as his mind struggled to accept that Riza might be in danger. His resolution spun in circles, as every fiber of his being locked down. Because he hadn't seen her in years, because she might hate him, because he loved her irrationally and painfully, despite everything. Because a part of him had started to think of her as unreal during his time in the future, a goal that could never be reached. He hadn't thought of her as a real person, hadn't remembered her smile as perfectly as he could see it now, as the memories surfaced, painful and raw.

She was alive and real, and needed help. She might die, fighting Tero alone. Indigo looked away from the castle, facing the plains where Violet was alone and trapped, somewhere. His best friend. His confidante and partner, a girl he loved as much as Riza, albeit in a different way.

How could he abandon his friend, whose goodness had changed his selfish ways? How could he break a curse only to lose the thing he cared about the most?

Indigo felt like the choice would tear him apart. The sensation in his chest seemed to echo his conflicted mind. It actually _hurt_, like his heart was trying to split itself in two. And if he didn't make his decision quickly, he might be too late to help either of them.

The wind howled around him, and Indigo was aware of another Pokemon watching his struggle, a powerful figure that looked as though it belonged to the wind and skies. Suicune regarded him with cool blue eyes, standing on the tip of a large tree, watching and waiting. He noted its presence with chagrin, pushing the knowledge to the side as unimportant. Because the fox was right. He had to choose, and it wasn't fair.

Indigo took a deep breath, as the sky howled around him. He closed his eyes, and made his decision.

~o~

Violet had never seen men work so hard, or so fast, as Ren Darkstone's mercenaries did, in the midst of that storming purgatory. The small break site was taken down and stowed in what seemed like no time at all, until the only evidence they had stopped was in the pale imprints of shoes on the hard ground, and long stalks of grass bent and broken. She was silent, while she watched, waiting to see where her destiny would take her.

Most of all though, she watched the sky. Her foreboding grew, until she felt she could not move, with or without the restraints.

With all the enemies they'd faced, with all the things she'd seen and fought for, Violet really thought that this might be it, once and for all. She waited for the terror to come, but it didn't. Instead, her expectations grew, a strange sense of waiting, like she was holding her breath on the inside. Maybe she was calm because she knew that this time, this was not a fight she could ever hope to win.

The rumbling clouds spiraled above, almost in slow motion, casting shadows so deep it was almost like nighttime, even though somewhere above it was a sunny afternoon. Violet couldn't remember what the sun looked like, staring at those clouds. She had only seen something like this on TV, but it was unmistakable as it was deadly.

"Why couldn't it just be a _nice_ natural disaster?" Violet whispered, her wide eyes locked on the forming funnel cloud. "Like a flood. That sounds good right now. Or a sudden ice cream shortage." She shook her head, wondering if talking to herself made her crazy. She whispered her next words, as though afraid someone would hear her."No. I shouldn't think about such terrible things. Tornado is better."

"Get everything battened down!" Ren roared, his deep voice barely audible over the screaming winds. "We need shelter, _fast_, or this is it for all of us! I want every Mightyena using Dig to create a safe zone, do you hear me? Do it _now!_"

Mightyena formed ranks, using elongated claws to rip gouges into the earth, digging in a way so synchronized it could have been rehearsed. Men helped too, digging with anything available. Some clawed at the dirt with their hands, their fear giving their desperate actions speed, as they shot glances over their shoulders at the spinning cauldron of the black sky. As Violet watched, a Mightyena was torn from the ground, clawing for purchase, before being flung away by the inconceivable force of the wind.

With a sudden groaning burst of thunder, the clouds started to drop, spiraling deceptively slowly towards the earth. TV had not prepared her for how _huge_ it was, seeming to swallow the entire horizon with dust and debris and raw power. And still Violet stared, wondering why she wasn't screaming. She was afraid, now. It was impossible not to be, looking at Nature's wrath up close and personal. She was awed and afraid, twin sensations so strong, and so similar, it seemed to be something new altogether. She felt very small.

She suddenly wished that Indigo were very far from here. She wished he hadn't been able to follow, because Violet wanted him nowhere near what was about to go down. It seemed like the end of the world.

A sound broke into her thoughts, and even though it wasn't loud, it seemed to drown out the fury of the storm itself. It sounded like the taste of snow, a lonely song, the cold blue waters of a remote lake, like the North Wind itself given voice. She looked up just in time to see a Pokemon that could only be Suicune, bounding away from the farthest reaches of the distant forest, towards the castle that she could just see on the horizon. And even though the figure was tiny with distance, she knew in her soul what she had been fortunate enough to witness.

Maybe Suicune was going to kick Entei's butt, and win their fight for them. The thought made her smile, albeit halfheartedly. Who was coming to save her?

"Time to go, Princesa," Ren growled, making her heart skip a beat with shock as he sliced the rope holding her tied wrists to the ground with one quick motion. He slung her over his left shoulder like she weighed absolutely nothing, despite her immediate and instinctive protest. She growled at him, trying to twist free despite the knowledge it would gain her exactly nothing. He was having none of it. "Unless you want to face the storm alone, I suggest you keep still," the rough man snarled at her, not letting her escape. "Your only hope of survival is with us. I suggest you behave!"

Violet bit him as way of response, feeling instantly better at his yelp of pain, and string of increasingly imaginative swear words. He kept walking regardless, never faltering, taking her towards a gaping hole in the ground sunk with shadows. As she watched, two Mightyena ran full tilt inside, their claws scattering the dirt. They were the last ones outside.

"You ingrateful, annoying scrap of a child! Don't you get that I'm trying to _help_?" Ren snarled even louder, his complaints directed primarily at himself, as if he didn't expect a response. "I should have made you _crawl_ to safety, with your ankles and wrists still tied! How does _that_ soun-"

Violet was thrown to the ground at the same time he was, as a branch as thick as her neck collided with the right side of Ren's head. She hit the dirt hard, curling up instinctively as her skin was scraped raw. She stayed frozen for a few seconds after the dust was whipped away by the wind. Violet raised her eyes, looking through her tangled curtain of hair, barely daring to hope. She sat up lurchingly, unable to support herself with her tied hands.

"Hey," she whispered, barely audible over the tearing wind. "_Hey_. Are you...okay?"

Her captor was sprawled across the ground, completely unconscious. Dark blood dripped slowly from the wound on his temple into his too-long hair. Violet sat straighter as thunder boomed overhead, wincing. She stared, uncomprehending, as the tornado howled ever closer, flashing with lightning.

In an instant the spell was broken, and Violet turned around, freeing the knife from its sheath with her bound hands. She sawed awkwardly, at a ridiculous angle, her heart racing with fear. No one else was outside still, not in these conditions. She couldn't do _anything_ with her hands tied!

The bonds broke, and Violet nearly cried with relief. She cut the ropes on her ankles quickly, trying to ignore the burning needles of pain that accompanied the action, as her circulation returned.

Violet took a deep, shaky breath. And grabbed Ren's rough hands in her own, straining with everything she had to shift him to the pit-like entrance. She felt like her shoulders would break from the strain of moving his dead weight. It seemed to take an eternity, but adrenaline gave her strength she didn't know she had. She succeeded on moving the unconscious man to the edge of the shelter. She turned towards the underground cave the Mightyena had dug. And hesitated.

If she went inside, she wouldn't be able to free herself again. This was a truly, horrible chance that probably didn't even count as a chance, because she would likely die. It was also the only thing she had.

Violet knelt down, removing the sheath from his belt. She stuffed the knife back in, and then put the whole thing into her boot. She breathed in, counting to five as she wondered if this was really what she wanted to do. And she took the single Poke ball from her captor, holding it tight. With the rest of her might, she shoved the unconscious Ren into the hole, and to safety.

And Violet took a step back, choosing not to follow. Her ridiculous out-dated skirts fluttered behind her in the wind, the front plastered tight against her body, as her black hair whipped backwards like a wave. And even though she was in terrible danger, and completely alone, Violet felt a sudden, sweet surge of freedom that took her breath away.

She unscrewed the tiny knob on the top of the rust-red sphere, squeaky with disuse. A tiny figure broke free from the resulting flash, a small Jolteon that blinked like it hadn't seen the sky in months. She knelt down, wondering if this creature was strong enough to protect her.

"Hi," Violet said, a little shy at addressing the strange Pokemon. "I could really, _really_ use some help."

~o~

Sword clashed against sword, and even though none of the attacks struck her skin, she felt as though every stroke was a physical wound, blow after blow, until she felt battered and worn. Her brother. Her little brother, and she was wielding a blade against him in battle. It went against all she knew. Fighting had always been like a dance to her, almost. Her body knew what to do. But this time, she was holding it back. Princess Riza Calariam was gone, and she was just a girl, who loved her brother very much. A brother who was currently trying to kill her.

It didn't matter so much, that he wasn't as skilled with a blade as she. The _intent_ hurt, more than a stab wound ever could. He was trying to kill her, and even though she was more than good enough to hold him back, it was a struggle to find it within herself to raise her sword against his, even in her own defense.

She used all the strength she could muster to try and simply _take_ him, to carry him away from this place and its battles, but the feathered wings of the Pidgeotto protected him from her ghosts, time and time again. They could not even touch him, and Terin was just good enough with his child's weapon to stop her from knocking it away entirely. She was getting desperate, and it showed in her sloppy movements.

Her emotions were causing more problems than simply that, however.

She could feel the insidious whispers, the doubt creeping into the minds of the powerful ghosts she'd assembled today, monsters in their own right. She could hear their whispers of rebellion, their disbelief at her weakness. And just as they were attuned to her emotions, she was to theirs. They hated her weakness, and so did she.

They wanted to kill, and there was a part of her that yearned for it along with them. The brief image of actually trying to win, and dousing her blade in the hot blood of her weaker foe, overpowered her pain for a brief moment. She could feel herself toying with the idea, before she shoved it to the side with shock.

"_Return_," she gasped out loud, her fair skin coated with sweat as she made the conscious effort to send the strongest away. The trio of Spiritomb, Gengar, and Mismagius, her strongest three, fought against her will, angry at being forced away from the blood they had been promised would come this day. She could feel their resentment, and was having none of it.

"**Now**," the blonde girl hissed in a double timbre, the whites and irises of her eyes bursting with black power and unspoken threats. That was all it took. They faded away, and the lust for blood faded with them. All the time, her blade clashed with Terin's, parrying all of his lightning fast blows.

The Pidgeotto gripped the straps on his back tighter with rough talons, wheeling around her in a semi circle in the same instant he struck, anticipating its move. Riza blocked with her long dagger over her left shoulder, pivoting on the ghosts beneath her feet. She could feel the hatred still, and one by one she sent her army back, until she was fighting nearly alone, but for the Pokemon supporting her feet in the air.

"Terin," she breathed, her voice making the word a plea. "Try and remember. I'm Riza, your big sister. You know me."

He responded with a flurry of lightning fast strikes, followed by a downward slash with both hands. His empty eyes reflected no light, no flicker of recognition for the pleading girl. The Pidgeotto carried him a foot higher, and he kicked at her head with heavy boots.

The ghosts under her feet disappeared for an instant, dropping her to compensate, before raising her back to level ground. Their swords clashed again and again, until they were locked together, steel hissing on steel.

"Please, remember me," she begged, feeling as though her heart were breaking in two. "I-I used to call you boo, when we were kids. You hated it, but only until you heard it was what brave people shouted to scare away ghosts. You were always brave. My brave little prince."

It was like she was talking to a mirage. She tried again, desperately. "You love apples! You always ate them whole, even the cores! We used to pick them together, entire baskets, and eat the best ones under the old tree behind the castle. You would look at the sky, and wonder what it would be like to be a trainer. I did, too."

The storm howled around them like a living force, and drops of frigid rain shattered on her already cold skin. Below them, the courtyard of her former home was the battlefield for legends, as Raikou and primal Entei fought with more elemental power than the storm itself. Arcs of lightning and pillars of flame made their own battle treacherous, despite being fifty feet up. Their blades locked once more, and Riza tried one last time.

"Look into my eyes," she said softly, just loud enough to be heard. "-and tell me you do not remember. Just look, boo. That's all."

Terin hesitated, just for the slightest moment, his brown eyes suddenly lost and confused. His sword hand fell, and he stared at her as though he didn't know what to do with it anymore.

Her heart leapt, but the smile that came to her lips was tired, and very full of love.

"I love you, little brother," she said with all her heart. She wrapped the younger boy in a fierce hug, ignoring the complaints of the Ghastly supporting her weight. In that moment, the warring legendaries, her lost love, her stolen kingdom and dead parents, none of it mattered. Because a single part of her life was complete for that moment in time, and nothing else could break into her thoughts.

She knew the tears were there, that time. Because even though things weren't okay yet, at least this was a start. She cried, and felt like maybe things were going to work out after all.

If she had only looked, she would have seen that the smile had finally faded from the Kings lips. If she had looked, she would have seen him give a curt order to his counterpart, never looking away from their embrace.

She did hear, as Mayanna shouted a command to one of the soldiers on the roof. The dethroned Princess whirled just in time to see the man throw a heavy spear with all his might, the weight of the dark hardwood making the shaft fly true through the wind.

Directly towards her brother. Not her.

It wasn't even a thought, really. She moved without having to consider the consequences for a second. Because the consequences didn't matter, in the end. Nothing else mattered, except for the single truth that she was an older sister, and her sibling was in trouble.

She threw herself in front of him, her arms outstretched and her violet eyes blazing. She barely had time to get into position, before the spear caught her in the chest.

~o~

**A/N** Hi. So I don't have a whole lot to say this time, except thanks for reading this donut filled adventure. Next chapter will be up in about a week and a half. Happy Wednesday everybody? XD

~K-tori


	30. Bloody Fate

**DISCLAIMER: No rights, no nothing, except for donuts!**

~o~

She wondered about a lot of things, in that next instant, that moment in between heartbeats. She wondered about her life, and the shattered wreck it was. She thought of what it felt like to be warm, and full of dreams, and the taste of a stolen pastry before dinner. She remembered how innocent she had been as a child. She had always wanted more, to have adventures and travel the corners of her kingdom with Pokemon and a few good friends. She had always wanted to have close friends. The rain was cold on her skin, plastering the hair to her face. She remembered that first time, when she'd realized she was in love, and everything, everything changed. Her first love, her first real friend, the only one to change her heart completely and utterly. It really was indescribable, the first time a heart fell in love. She had loved Indigo, and it made her feel like she could fly.

When her life finished flashing through her mind, she felt the incredible, indescribable, pain.

She choked out half a scream before her rationality could take over, all thoughts fleeing her head entirely. She realized she was falling, plummeting towards the earth below, and fought to gain control over even a single thought. _Her connection with Grave and Sepira was broken_. She needed her mind to speak with them, and her mind was in agony.

A part of her noted that there was no blood, that the pain merely came from the heavy dent in the armor pressing against her heart and the possibly broken ribs. That part was a mere side note, no help at all.

Terin had remembered, a tiny bit. He had lowered his sword. The thought brought her a brief moment of joy, as the scrambled bits of her thoughts started coming together again. She felt Grave and Sepira's surprise and desperation, could feel their dive towards her figure, and coolly calculated they would not make it in time.

It was a strangely fitting way to die. She wasn't upset, like she thought she would be. Maybe she would have been, if she had had more than an instant to process, more than a few seconds to fall.

And that was all that had passed. A mere few seconds. She would have expected more fanfare.

Her courtyard was not recognizable as landscape anymore. Great cracks had split the earth, glowing with fiery hues, trees crackled blue with lightning and burned, and the grass had been gouged and trampled until it resembled nothing more than a war zone. It took no time at all to process this, as she plummeted head first, but that was not what caught her almost dispassionate gaze.

Battle worn and wounded, Raikou howled its fury, crackling with enough voltage to kill a Snorlax. Entei faced it, it's pupiless eyes burning with firelight and hunger, fueled by the purest rage. It didn't seem to notice the wounds gaping on its sides, didn't register the scorched grey in its smoky mane. It screamed with primal anger, and red flames spilled from its gaping jaws.

Raikou roared, and lightning hit it dead on, spiking from four different places in the sky. Entei took a deep breath, its claws digging into the ground to brace itself, as molten flames glowed in the back of its throat.

The attacks of either beast would be enough to kill her. As her luck would have it, not only was she falling to her death, she was going to do it in the middle of _two_ fatal attacks, as the legendaries fought for supremacy.

A torrential burst of scarlet flames tore from Entei's throat in the same instant a flood of sky blue lightning screamed from Raikou's fur. She fell directly between them, nearly to the crushing ground as the attacks closed in on her from either side.

She closed her eyes.

_I leave the rest to you, Indigo, _she thought silently, and found she did have some regrets in that moment after all. Would he move on, after? Would he return, his curse finally broken, to find her dead? Perhaps he _had_ moved on, had found some pretty girl in another time who could heal the heart she had so cruelly twisted and broken. Someone who reminded him of her, but was completely human, and had never dabbled in darkness and filth.

Someone who would never hurt him.

Heat singed her skin, and tongues of lightning reached for her cloak, but it was the silvery blue blur that caught her, that changed her direction so harshly her neck felt like it would snap from the recoil. She felt the explosion moments before she heard it, as the attacks connected where she had been instants before, and then power filled the ruins of her front yard, destroying everything it touched with fire and electricity. Her skin felt cold, and Suicune's breath coalesced in a hurricane before them, silvery mist that somehow turned away the vibrant rush of hot death. It passed, and she realized suddenly that she was _alive_, and Riza inhaled suddenly as though taking breath for the very first time.

_Alive and breathing_. Suicune regarded her with a sidelong glance, and its eyes were wintery and cold. Riza forced herself to move, to slide off its cyan back. She was shaking, and felt as weak as a child. Grave and Sepira caught up to her, finally, and she held out a hand for them automatically. She let their remaining strength flow through her fingertips, filling her with a rush of frigid energy as stale and unyielding as the grave.

They did not question, as a human might have done, and it was almost an afterthought to leave them enough power to fight. Grave shuddered with pain or glee, his yellow zipped mouth quirking up, but Sepira was the one who laughed out loud. Her Haunter and Banette were followed by the mere six Ghastly who she had allowed to stay, weaker creatures whose thoughts would not so easily stain her own. And so for eight ghosts, she stood alone. Raikou was beyond her reasoning now, locked in battle. She had only been able to convince the legendary to take sides because of Tero's sins.

What that man had done to electric Pokemon, to Pokemon everywhere, was horrifying. If he had left Raikou's subjects alone, he might have spared himself this disaster. But she had plead through the telepathy of her ghosts, and the being of thunderstorms and lightning had listened.

Terin hung in the air far above her, staring at her with an unfathomable expression in his brown eyes. And Riza hung her head, fighting the urge to cry. She did not have the strength to win the day. Even with the strength from Sepira and Grave, she would lose. She knew she wouldn't win if Tero chose to fight, to hold her brothers life hostage on the battlefield.

He would slit Terin's throat while she watched, if only to see her face while he did it. He would do it for _fun_. And she would be completely powerless against such a threat.

He had won, this time. But she would not lose everything.

"Better to run," Riza whispered out loud, staring with anguished violet eyes at her brother, who she loved. "Better to run and return, someday." She saw the flicker of realization on his face, just before she turned for the wall, and ran, the Ghastly flickering between her steps, throwing her ever higher. Her foot slapped against the stone wall, and Riza leapt, her cloak streaming like a banner behind her.

"_Stop_!" the voice shouted furiously, a voice she would know absolutely anywhere, despite everything. "It's a trap!"

Her head spun lightning fast, her eyed already wide with hope that dared not exist. And the walls exploded with black, crawling and shuddering with the darkness, an instant after Grave and Sepira snagged her backwards by each wrist, stopping her forward leap. Ariados in black armor swarmed from the other side of the wall, along with soldiers carrying sharp edged swords thirsting for her blood.

Her dagger long gone, a knife appeared in Riza's hand on reflex as her ghosts set her down on solid stone, already twisting her blade forward into the eye socket of an red and black Ariados, which screamed and twisted, spraying her with blood. More followed after it, countless more, and the soldiers came as well, climbing off ladders that had been placed during her previous battle. No less than three black armored Dragonite spun into the air, a rider on each of their backs, and _other_ things were a part of the silent ranks below, things with horns and claws that she had no name for.

Their banter, their battle, it had all been a ruse. Tero had intended to trap her here the whole time. He had been ready, and like a fool, she had believed she was the one to catch _him_ off guard.

And now, her energy spent, she had an army on her hands. There were at least fifty, and they were not the soldiers who had guarded her as a child, but new, hard eyed men.

If she called more ghosts, Tero would just kill her brother without compunction or thought.

If she had jumped from the edge of that wall...if she hadn't been warned...Thunder cracked loud in the air, and far off in the plains, Riza saw a second funnel cloud begin its descent.

She knew that he was here, finally, and she wasn't alone anymore.

She leaped into the air, ghosts supporting her like wings, and fought for her life, but her heart was soaring. She wasn't alone, and she was so glad to be alive it hurt. Tears threatened again, but her joy lent her courage, and her strikes power, even as the pain in her mind threatened to swallow her whole. She spun and danced, and as she did so she saw, and her half dared hopes were confirmed.

Indigo hit the stone roof in a half crouch, releasing two Pokemon in a burst from the twin spheres, his arms crossed. The Salamence he'd ridden roared, changing shape into a Dragonite, and the light from the Pokeballs shattered into a tittering Kirlia and a massive Gyarados the color of nightfall. He looked older somehow, stronger. When he raised his eyes over his crossed arms, quiet anger burned in the blue.

"Have you missed me?"

And Tero's features were stricken with shock, like he'd seen death itself, and for the briefest instant, _fear_. And then he laughed, like he'd never seen anything so wonderful. "You've given me a rare honor, Indigo! I have the privilege of killing you twice! Now die, as your parents before you! Charizard!"

The crimson winged nightmare met the Gyarados's attack square, fighting with fangs and claws, the two creatures locked in an immediate and savage battle. The Kirlia sang, lifting her arms slowly, her closed eyes tossed towards the sky, and stones tore from the castle roof, bathed in midnight. She fought _humans_, the soldiers on the roof, and before long screams filled the air.

Blood and the shouts of the wounded and warring filled the air, laced with the clang of metal, and the ever present roar of the storm. Chaos reigned, and Entei and Raikou fought savagely through it all. The storm seemed to grow harsher as they fought, the clouds darkening to an ominous black, as scarlet lightning caressed the raging air. The earth itself rumbled warningly, and then a sound cut through it all.

Suicune howled, long and mournful, resting impossibly on the spires of the castle, and the noise spoke to Riza's heart like a song. She paused in her war, along with every living creature on the battlefield, listening as that sound stretched on. Even the storm seemed to quiet somewhat, the rain all but disappearing.

When its cry ended, Suicune bowed its head, and nothing stirred, nothing fought. For a moment, Riza forgot why she was fighting, as that still moment stole the world. Without thinking, she lowered her blooded knife, and around her others did the same.

Entei's enraged roar shattered the silence like glass, like a volcano and earthquakes, and the moment broke. It turned away from Raikou, flat eyes focusing on one insignificant human of many. It leapt towards Indigo with fangs bared, bounding off the trees, and knocked him flat, holding him down by the shoulders with massive paws.

Raikou turned on Suicune, fury in its eyes at being interrupted. It bared its curved fangs and attacked with savagery. Suicune danced away, playing defensive, but before long, the spell had broken everywhere, and men raised their arms once more, shouting as one. Riza took a blow to the back by some heavy object before she could react. She spun forward crazily, tasting blood, before her ghosts could stop her spiraling, and immediately blocked Terin's downward strike with her tiny, inadequate knife, dancing back. He came for her again, determination renewed in his eyes, and her heart despaired.

But it was _his_ words that cut through the cacophony, and were sweet in her ears. "Protect her!" Indigo shouted, desperation in his too familiar voice, changed subtly by time. "She must not be harmed!"

Her brothers eyes went wide, but he did not spin fast enough, as a black Psychic caught the Pidgeotto squarely, spraying feathers. Her brother spun, knocked out by the blast, but she caught him in her arms before he could fall to the courtyard below. His Pidgeotto plummeted, trailing brown feathers. He was heavy, and her arms shook, but Riza knew she could never drop him.

Alone for an instant, she looked to Indigo. And even though they hadn't seen one another in lifetimes, every thought, every worry, and every promise they'd ever made was communicated in that single look. Their eyes saw the regrets, and looking at each other it was impossible to not be reminded of the friendship that had trumped everything, and the love that had destroyed all.

He would never get free from Entei. He saw her agonized realization, and smiled ever so faintly. "Go now. Protect your brother. Violet's warriors will open a path for you."

And though his words were cut off by the roar of electricity as Raikou warred with Suicune, she knew without having to reply that he was right. Knowing she had little choice did not help. Nothing, nothing in the world, would have forced her to make that decision, save the weight of the boy in her shaking arms.

Riza turned, holding her brother close, and fled, crying as her heart burned. She hit the wall once more, and the Gyarados and the Salamence demolished the attacks that would have stopped her. She heard Tero's cry of frustration behind her, and leapt, running as the power of her ghosts carried her ever higher.

She barely had the strength to give her ghosts to support her own feet, but true to his word the powerful Pokemon were able to clear her path. She ran, the tears on her pale face never stopping, and left Indigo behind again.

~o~

A burden fell off him when she escaped, and Indigo was strangely calm, despite being pinned to the ground by a behemoth that burned with power and hate focused solely on him. "You have me," he admitted, not looking at Tero. Instead he stared into Entei's pupiless eyes, flat and red and hungry. "Now what are you going to do with me?"

"I'll use you," the raven haired monster said simply, his eyes shining with cruelty. "Our dear Princess has bargained for your life before after all. Last time, she gave me a country. Who knows what I'll get from her this time? How did you survive?"

"I was sent to a magical time filled with ridiculous Magikarps and powder covered confections," Indigo replied, his mouth quirking up. "The locals worshiped these sweetened breads. They're called donuts." He paused, considering. "If you were there, you would not be allowed to have one."

The King's face twisted with anger at his glib retort, becoming harsh and cruel. "I'll have the truth from you soon enough," he hissed poisonously, as his soldiers and their Pokemon formed a ring around them, up there on the rain drenched roof. "Your next stay here will not be so pleasant as your last. I think I'll remove your hands. Or perhaps your eyes. You will live in a world of darkness and pain, a thousand times worse than your most terrifying nightmare. Coming back from the dead is hardly fair after all. You're quite the sore loser."

As Tero spoke, Entei's claws extended, digging into Indigo's shoulders until blood seeped from beneath them. "Did you see her dance?" Indigo gasped, through the pain, still not looking at the new king. "She was always beautiful. Even while fighting. A beautiful, deadly angel. Violet is the same sometimes. But never...never quite right. I can't imagine her making the decision to kill. Not even _you _could do that to her."

"Is that her name?" Tero mused, picking up Avery's cracked Moon ball. "The girl who owns this Poke ball? Maybe I will change her. Twist her mind and heart, like I once did to you, dear Indigo. I have, after all, a very...important...hostage." He spoke slowly and deliberately, stepping in time with his last, drawn out words. Indigo's eyes went a little wider, and he struggled to rise despite the Entei pinning him down. Tero leaned in close, hissing his last words. "What will she do for _you_, I wonder?"

Avery hit the king from behind with a powerful Psychic, a shriek of fury escaping her. Mr. Fin and Violet's Ditto had fainted during the final attack to clear the path for Riza. The tiny, battered Kirlia was the only one left standing. And her fury knew no bounds.

Entei released him, turning instinctively to the newest threat, but Avery's shriek was changing, falling an octave and trilling resonantly. The light that shone from her form was laced with red lightning, crackling and powerful. And Indigo smiled.

"Do you know how long she's kept herself from evolving? She didn't want to change...she wanted to stay the same, and be with Violet forever." His arms weren't responding correctly, but Indigo sat all the same, his smile turning bitter. "I understand that more than you could ever know."

And Avery evolved, in the midst of a black Psychic that ripped soldiers and Pokemon apart in a cyclone of severed limbs and blood, howling towards the swirling sky above. Her crimson eyes were filled with glee as the light shattered from her body, a beautiful Gardevoir. Her white gown was stained with blood already, from the first instant of evolution. Her grin turned wide with savagery, and she raised one hand, drunk on her new power and blood lust.

"What have we done?" Indigo wondered out loud, tiredly. He closed his eyes just before his face was splattered with something warm and wet. Screams filled the air, and he felt sick. "What did we save, Violet?" Entei roared, but the sound was cut off suddenly, as the Gardevoir teleported the Legend away in an instant.

Avery raised both slender white arms, and her gaze turned to Tero. Anticipation, excitement, the emotion in her eyes was not so easily defined. Black exploded from her palm, as the bloodstained Avery psychically assaulted Tero's mind with every once of dark power she had.

...and broke off screaming, her hands held tight to her head. Her eyes were shut tight, hunched over with the strength of her mental agony.

"You dare...enter _my_ mind?" Tero gasped, reeling, fury overpowering his pain. "_Mine_?" He laughed, a harsh bark that contained no mirth. "And how did it feel? Those images, my actions, my _soul_, they will never leave you now!"

Avery didn't answer, shaking her head back and forth, still screaming. She opened her crimson eyes, and they were bloodshot. Her elegant body was traced with black, one arm desperately outstretched.

She and Indigo disappeared, along with Violet's Pokemon, leaving nothing but broken bodies behind them.

~o~

Riza was gasping for breath as she ran. The exertion was getting to her certainly, after carrying her not so little brother for a good fifteen minutes, but the worst of it was because of the blunt dent in her armor, pressing against her heart. She felt like she was dying. Her fair skin was drenched with sweat and rain and blood. She wanted nothing more than to stop and rest for five minutes, to remove her armor and really, truly breathe. But she dared not; not even for a second. Not until Terin was safe, and away from the monster.

She still could hardly believe that he was unharmed. The lying king had had him for the better part of a year, after all, and yet Terin was alive. She had seen his lab once before. It could have been so much worse. She shuddered just to think of it, somewhere past the exhaustion.

She felt as though the pain would send her to her knees, and then to the ground racing below her, and then a thousand feet deeper into the hot molten earth. She felt overheated despite the cold, like she would catch fire then and there. Her eyes bled black, and she breathed cold words that sent icy chills through her veins.

"_**Come**_," she whispered, her power flowing through her voice, and into the soul of the world. The cold helped with the fire in her blood, the aches and pains in her body fading away until she felt strong again. All except for the pain under her armor, the abused metal pressing an insistent pain against her skin, the one point of pain that refused to fade away with the whispers of death. It didn't matter. Soon she would be home, and she could relieve the pressure.

She called, and one by one was answered.

She didn't have her full strength, couldn't summon a thousand to destroy her enemies. But she could summon a few, and those few were enough. Gengar and Haunter spun in a circle before her as she ran, the air shimmering black betwixt their grins, as a shining black circle as dark as ink took form in the storm-swept air. She could feel the cold emanating from the circle, and smiled with utter relief. _Home_. That portal led to home.

Her little valley wasn't even a real place; not formally. Only her ghosts could bring her there, and only they could allow her to leave. No one could breach its defenses, or get past its walls, because those walls _didn't_ _exist_. She had wondered where she actually was, when she'd first been taken there, after running to the ghosts in the Whispermist forest following the Red Night. That thought had passed. It didn't matter, even if she wasn't anywhere.

The portal crackled with black energy and wispy tendrils of deep purple, forming directly in front of her as she ran, Terin held in her arms. Ghastly supported her steps through the skies, as the castle fell away behind them. She had run into the storm in her desperation, towards the raging tornadoes. Grave and Sepira had their hands full, knocking projectiles away from their Queen, flung by the gale force winds. Her hair whipped around her face, and she was glad she would soon be out of it. Staying out in this storm was madness. She wondered what had caused such a storm in the first place.

She saw the girl on that plain to the East of her former castle, fighting for her life beneath a roiling black sky.

Riza couldn't hear her shouts, though it was obvious she shouted, did not know what instructions she gave to the Pokemon at her side. It was a Jolteon, made small by the distance between them, who used bolts of lightning like battering rams to clear the debris that would have killed them both had it hit. The girl ran alongside the electric type, stumbling slightly, racing to get away from some unknown danger that was somehow worse than a massive tornado. Her black hair tangled in the wind. Riza could not see her face.

The portal stabilized in that moment she hesitated, ready to take her away. The girl did not see her, tired as she was, and even as the former Princess watched, her Jolteon blocked a jagged bolt of lightning from the sky with an answering shriek of electricity, before breaking off, clearly exhausted.

And even though that pain in her chest was screaming for relief, she found she could walk no further. Turmoil broke out within, as she tried to reason a way to not care when one of her subjects was about to die before her eyes.

She was apart from her country now, and owed it nothing. Her subjects had turned on her, and labeled her monster. And what was more, they were right. She would get no thanks from the girl, even if she did...

On top of that, her enemy had spies everywhere. If he found where she was hiding, if he discovered a way in using his own cruel ingenuity, everything, _everything_ would be over.

"Take her," Riza commanded her remaining ghosts. She couldn't help but wonder what the girl was running from. And even though the Queen of Night had no heart, Riza Calariam could not leave her to die. "The storm girl comes with us."

~o~

Avery was still screaming when they materialized over the black ruins of Karraket town. It had not been rebuilt, in the six months that had passed since that night. It looked as though no one had even set foot among the destroyed town in all that time. Ashes and charcoal crunched underfoot. Twisted skeletons of building reached for the boiling sky, groaning in the wind. Specks of black flew on the wind, and the ground underfoot was warm, as though the town had burned down yesterday rather than months and months ago.

Indigo got to his feet, hissing under his breath. "Avery! It's okay, it's fine, just-" he broke off as her screams redoubled. He abandoned his words, trying to get close to her instead. The ground cracked just in front of his feet, and he skidded to a stop, barely avoiding falling off the edge. Small rocks pattered down into the abyss she had torn into the earth. When he looked back up, his eyes were grim.

"You could have hurt someone with that, little one," he said very quietly. "You should know better than to let your emotions rule you! You are better than that!" The chasm was nearly as wide as he was tall. He could not see the bottom.

Such power. He had never known a Psychic type to be so strong.

All the same. Enough was enough. Indigo fell back a few steps, and broke into a run, pitching himself over the crack in the world. He hit the other side with inches to spare, the impact jolting up his legs. He had no sooner landed, when shining darkness bound his movements like iron. Indigo's limbs were traced with black, and he could not move.

Avery's screams changed, then, and she was laughing, the sound very similar to a human girl, but too resonant, too perfect. Her crimson eyes were wide behind her slender white arms, bloodshot and filled with a terrible glee. She laughed, and laughed, until the sound seemed to remake her. She looked at Indigo, her arms falling to her sides, and a sudden, inexplicable jolt of fear shot down his spine as she looked up at him with her head half bowed.

He had seen a look like _that_ before. Indigo strained against the power holding him in place; a futile gesture, which only served to make her smile grow wider, and his limbs ache with effort. He twisted and fought, but the Psychic was as strong as he was and then some, and as a defenseless human he had no way of breaking free.

Sabrina had told them she would be a monster. And the only one who was capable of changing that prophecy, the only one who could reach Avery right now, _was not here!_ Frustration overwhelmed him, and he could do nothing as the bloody Gardevoir walked towards him slowly across the broken ruins of Karrakett, smiling all the while.

"Violet," Indigo said simply, staring into Avery's crazed eyes. "Remember, _Violet_. You are not allowed to be a monster, while she lives!"

It was like he had slapped her. Avery's walk faltered, and uncertainty passed over her face. The instant her Psychic dropped, Indigo dove for the cracked moon ball on the ground.

"Return!" he gasped, and relief coursed through him when the advanced Poke ball shot a broken beam of light, despite being damaged, and drew the surprised Gardevoir inside. It wiggled furiously. He held it down grimly, until it stopped.

Violet would have to deal with _that_. He would have no part in it. Avery was turning into something he no longer understood. But Violet would. She always knew about those kinds of things.

His resolution made, Indigo gathered the rest of her Poke balls, clipping them to his belt. A familiar stab of pain graced his heart at the thought of Violet. He didn't dare to think of what his choice might have cost her. The thought was too painful to consider.

She wouldn't have to wait anymore.

But when Indigo turned towards the horizon, Nivalis was in his path, blocking the way. "_Your trainer is fine, for the time being_," she said simply. "_You are not going to her yet._"

"I am," Indigo retorted, stepping around the fox. "And you can't stop me. I don't want to hear any more of your silly, over dramatic prophecies. Enough is enough. Go advise someone else."

"_I'm almost finished with you. There is one place you must go first, however. That is, if you want to know the truth of all. How to return Entei's heart. And...the truth of the secret weapon Layla spoke of in her final entry."_

He hesitated, and regretted it immediately. The Ninetales laughed scornfully, knowing she had him. "_Little Violet escaped on her own, and is currently in very capable hands. But this will be your only chance. If you do not leave now, you will never know._"

Indigo was still for a long time, before he turned back to the fox. "There are times I really don't like you. They comprise most of the time you open your mouth."

"_You must go to Mount Shishiro, and climb the peak before the moon rises to its zenith. At that time, all will be made clear. Climb quickly, Nightwalker. It isn't as though the fate of everything you hold dear rests on you finding answers after all._" The Ninetales laughed. "_Oh wait. It does, doesn't it?"_

It didn't seem he had much choice. All the same, Indigo badly wanted to throttle the fox, and go to Violet anyway. He didn't know for certain if the fox was telling the truth about her. _But why lie?_

He took a deep breath, and reminded himself that Violet could take care of herself. _Soon_, he promised.

Right now he had to learn the key to stopping this war once and for all.

**~o~**

**A/N** Can't think of anything to say. So thanks for reading, and for being awesome as always! ^^

K-tori


	31. Requiem for a Dream

**DISCLAIMER: Why am I still doing these? Don't you get it by now? Geez! **

~o~

Riza broke through the portal, sucking in lung-fulls of miasma and fog, stale and welcome. Her knees hit the cold earth, sinking in slightly to the dampness that pervaded everything. _Fire_. She couldn't breathe. She half dropped Terin, aiming away from rocks, as the rest of her mind focused on containing the urge to cough.

With fumbling fingers, Riza pushed at the clasps holding her armor together, releasing them one by one. The pressure lessened, and she gasped with audible relief. For a moment, she just sat, relishing the air that made it to her aching lungs.

And in the silence, the girl stared, as though she had never seen anything else. Like she was staring at some kind of ghost.

"Don't be scared," Riza said through her fast returning pain, hot and invasive, not looking at the person she'd just saved. "I won't..." she broke off, hissing, as her sharp breath sent a stab lurching down her spine. She didn't say anything after that, her breathing short and fast.

"You're...Riza, aren't you?" the girl said, ever so quietly, her strange purple eyes wide, her smudged face ashen. Her face changed into something rueful, and a little disappointed. "He wasn't kidding, was he? Dang it."

Riza looked up then, surprised. She spoke strangely, almost like a different dialect. "Who are you referring to?" she asked, quietly surprised at her tone. "He?"

And just as quickly, the girls pale face closed off entirely. "He..." she fell silent, biting her lower lip self consciously, looking down. "Someone I haven't seen for a while. H-he knew you, from a while back."

"Ah," Riza responded quietly. A while back had been a lifetime ago. Whoever he was had known her when she was human, a carefree princess in a gilded cage. She didn't want to know his name. It would only break her heart to think of friends lost. Silence fell for a few, awkward moments.

"You have the advantage over me," Riza finally admitted, looking up, as the pain lessened slowly to bearable levels, deadened by the numbing cold that pervaded this pocket dimension. "You know my name. What is yours?"

"V-violet," the girl responded almost instantly, as though she had been waiting for the silence to break. She bit her lip again. Riza supposed it was a habit. "My name is Violet Hikanashi. I'm...not from around here."

"Really?" Riza said, genuinely surprised. Her country was not small, and had natural borders on all sides. "What brings you here? We don't get many visitors."

The girl shifted, and suspicion immediately grew in her mind. Violet was hiding something. But what? She narrowed her eyes, opening her mouth to press the girl. Before she could, Violet sat up quickly, her eyes lighting up. "Ah!" she said, hitting her fist against her palm as though she had had an idea. "I've got it! I know how to fix this!"

"What?" Riza said, questioning her behavior more than she was asking about the girls statement, a little caught off guard. Violet took both of her hands in her own, surprisingly strong, looking up at her urgently.

"I need your help finding someone. And I promise, it will be worth your while. Without a doubt."

"And who might that be?" Riza asked, still wondering if the girl was maybe crazy. To her ever growing surprise, the girl grinned wide, her pretty face beaming under the dirt.

"My partner," she said, as though it were obvious. "My Lucario. He'll be able to fix everything, like he always does. And I think you'll like him!"

"Are you okay?" Riza said, after a beat of silence. "Perhaps a little flushed? I just saved you from a hurricane, and you want me to help you find your...pet?"

Violet snorted, covering her mouth to stifle her sudden giggle. Her eyes danced. "Never let him know you said that," she choked out, finding her statement unreasonably funny. "Never, never. He would sulk for days."

Riza sat back, not knowing quite what to think. "You are crazy," she said, staring at the girl. "Quite, I think."

"I'm a little slaphappy," Violet admitted. "Adrenaline, I think. Or sugar. No...I haven't had sugar today. Adrenaline," she said, more firmly. She blinked, as though something had just occurred to her. "You don't know how ironic this whole thing is, do you?"

"Maybe you should rest," Riza said, feeling a little faint. Maybe it was because she had been away from people for so long. Were they _all_ like this? She didn't think so for some reason. "You can sleep in peace, here. I can drop you off wherever you wish, when you've had a chance to catch your breath."

Violet regarded her, sitting back, like the thought of them being separated immediately was a strange one, which she had not considered. "It wouldn't be right for me to tell you everything, would it? It's gotta be him, or it just isn't good. I can wait for a bit, I think."

Riza stared, wondering who this strange girl was, who spoke as if they had known each other for years and years, with a familiarity she had rarely had with anyone. "Who are you?" she said finally, very quietly. "_Who_?"

Violet just smiled, a little sheepishly. "A side character with ambitions?"

Riza's response was cut off by the spiky ball of fur that launched itself at her with a cry of happiness. She caught the tiny thing, jolting slightly as it shocked her. She stared, unable to really believe. "Sparks?" she said, the word catching in her throat? "Sparks?"

"Eon, ee!" Indigo's Jolteon purred, rubbing his face happily on her shirt. Riza held him tighter, barely processing this new, unexpected wonder. The surge of emotion surprised her with its intensity, and Riza hugged the tiny Pokemon, completely overwhelmed.

"I thought...I'm so glad..."she choked out happily, not caring that she was crying for the thousandth time that day. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

"Ehhh?" Violet said with utter shock. "Sparks? But that's..." she stared at the Jolteon, as if with new eyes. "Actually," she said, "-that makes a lot of sense."

Sparks jumped from Riza's arms, rubbing his head under Violet's hand, looking utterly content with the world. Riza blinked three times. "He...doesn't usually like strangers," she said finally. The strange girl shrugged, and the Jolteon batted at her long, tangled strands of black hair like it was a toy, before settling back at Riza's feet, yawning wide. He was asleep quickly, spiky and content.

"Hey...you wanna know something?"

Riza looked up expectantly. Violet was beaming, her pale face streaked with dirt, and her hair tangled wildly. Still, she was pretty. "Yes?" Riza prompted.

"I'm really tired. Like, I think I might fall over."

"Are you certain you don't have a head injury?"

"You sound like my Lucario!" Violet griped. "Why does everyone think there's something wrong with my head?"

"_I can think of a few reasons_," a Spiritomb muttered, wafting near the two.

"_This one talks too much_," a Gengar pointed out, looking at the newcomer dubiously. "_Can we eat her_?"

"You may not," Riza said firmly, glaring at the ghost. "We do not eat guests. Not even ones who may be crazy."

The girls glare needed work. She looked like an angry kitten. But still she stood, a little shakily, her tattered skirt stained with the dark, bruise colored earth of Riza's secret hideaway. To Riza's utter surprise, the girl knelt by her side. She _did_ have a head injury, a nasty looking bruise across her temple. Violet had minor scrapes and bruises all over the place, actually. Riza immediately felt a little bad for thinking poorly of her.

Her reason for standing became apparent soon enough.

"Your armor," Violet said after a beat. "You're hurt. Let me help."

"I-" Riza started, her eyes round, but the girl did not so much as pause. She bent to the half opened buckles up her side, unhooking them carefully. Riza couldn't move for shock When was the last time that someone had been close to her? A breathing person, who wasn't trying to kill her?

That simple thing, someone being near her, was almost incredible to the former princess. She held perfectly still, suppressing the stabs of pain that came from every wrong move.

"This weighs a _ton_," Violet breathed, struggling with the clasps. "Can you stand?"

Between the two of them, and a few Ghastly, Riza stood, her pupils dilating as her vision swam black, Violet apologizing the whole time. She held the breastplate up until Riza was vertical, then guided it off from under her cotton shirt, trying her best not to make any jerky movements. When it was off, Riza fell backwards, the Ghastly pillowing her fall, and setting her gently on the ground.

Violet undid the clasp at her neck, which held her white cloak, and suddenly breathing was much easier.

"I think you broke some bones," Violet said, sounding a little panicked. "A-and there's a lot of bruises...no, actually, I think it's just one bruise. Shoulder to shoulder. Also, your collarbone looks..._how_ did you carry that kid again?" she finished a little faintly, looking pale.

"A family secret, passed down through generations," Riza gasped, the throbbing of her wound more insistent after moving. "I _cheated_. A lot."

The three Ghastly hovering over her grinned. The one in the middle let out a belch, earning glares from the other two. Riza laughed quietly.

"They _ate_ the worst of it," Violet said, going pale. "That is...bad for you. If you keep that up..."

She had to laugh a little at that, through the pain that was returning in full force. "And you care because? Who am I to you? I don't want...your _pity_."

She didn't need it either. Already, she could feel the unnatural heat in her skin, as the muscles beneath knitted back together the damage. It hurt, but it was a healthy hurt. Bearable. She kept her breathing deep, and living tattoos swam across her skin as she tapped into her other self. And healed.

The girl didn't say anything in response, and Riza felt a little bad. She shouldn't have snapped at her like that. She didn't understand why the girl wasn't screaming by now. She seemed so _calm_ with their situation. It threw her off guard, and the former princess didn't know how to react.

The heat on her skin raised to scorching levels, and at once she was deathly tired. It wasn't going away, either. The feeling got worse, as energy was diverted to the wound from her dented armor from the rest of her body. Riza's eyelids felt heavy; she knew she wouldn't stay awake for much longer. It was a side effect of healing she couldn't get away from. It made using the particular aspect of the Pokemon Experiment impractical in battle.

"It's not because you saved my life," the girl admitted, as Riza's vision faded. "It's because you saved _his._"

A breath escaped the bloodied blonde girl, and the tension left Violet's body all at once as the princess lapsed into unconsciousness. "It's like walking into a storybook," she laughed, and the ghosts jumped at the unexpected sound from their Queens strange guest.

~o~

Indigo wasn't used to being so alone.

He enjoyed solitude, as a Lucario, but then it was a choice. A few stolen hours in the moonlight, time to think about his past and reconcile himself with his future. Knowing Violet was there, waiting for him to return when he'd cleared his head. But now...

He felt like he'd been thrown into chaos, these past few days. It had been all he could do to keep up. Violet was missing, and Riza...

Seeing her again had been like feeling the sun on his skin after years of midnight. He hadn't realized how much of his essence, his very _being_, was empty without her presence. Seeing her had lit him up like a flare, and he had been aware of everything he had been missing. Time had not weakened his heart, as he'd been half afraid of. If anything, it had made it stronger. She was his drug, the poison he would never voluntarily let go of, no matter how much it risked his life. He'd proven that, today.

Tero had not changed, either. The monster made his blood run cold, and hollowed out his so called bravery. He'd half forgotten, over the years, what a true monster looked like. He'd remembered, today.

Violet had escaped, and was safe, if the fox could be believed. And Riza had fled, saving Prince Terin's life. Indigo was alone. There was a constant hollow feeling in the corners of his heart, knowing he was alone. He longed for someone to talk to. The boredom was the worst.

He occupied himself with climbing the snow veiled mountain, swirling with cold despite the season, as it always was. He didn't have gloves, or a coat. But Indigo was not cold. He couldn't explain it. His breath misted in front of his face, and his prints stretched in the snow behind him, and he felt like he was walking on a summer night. Warmth flooded his veins, and he kept his eyes on the path ahead, his legs carrying him easily up the slope. He was constantly walking a little to the right, as he walked the easy path in circles up the mountain, rather than climb the steep cliffs, or travel through the heart of the deadly mountain.

He kept one hand on Avery's Poke ball, pressing down occasionally when it shook. Sometimes, he heard laughter, quiet and inexplicably happy.

He wondered what Tero's mind had done to Avery. The thought made his blood run cold. He had a habit of making monsters of the heros who opposed him, after all.

_He _had become a monster after all. So had Riza, in her own way. Part of him was afraid it would happen again. Even Violet...

_No. _He shook his head to clear it of such thoughts. _Never Violet._ She wasn't capable of that.

Violet was a warm thought. She was a sunny afternoon, and sleep after a long, fun filled day. He loved her, too, but it wasn't like a drug. It was more like peace.

He supposed peace was a kind of drug as well. His best friend was something he would protect quietly, and without question. He suspected Riza would do the same, if she knew her. Darkness was attracted to light.

And knowing her made him feel like maybe there was still hope for him, after all.

With nothing but his thoughts to keep him company, Indigo climbed, until he was above the dark clouds, looking across a sea of roiling black. He climbed until the cold stars scattered across the sky, and the air was thin and scarce. He didn't run into any problems, like last time. It was almost like the mountain wanted him to climb, that night. It was with aching limbs and snow caked clothes that he reached the top.

The peak of the mountain was circular, as if the top had been sliced off, and ringed with jagged spikes of stone that broke apart like a crown, thrusting out from the white blanket of snow. Indigo could not see the kingdom, hidden as it was by the storm below the lonely peak of Mount Shishiro. He wondered how snow had gotten up here in the first place, above the clouds.

It was also completely empty. No one, save him, stood on the cold peak. He was alone. The moon hung white and beautiful in the star specked sky, a purity in darkness that mirrored the perfect snow.

He stepped forward, crunching that perfect snow. He winced. And took another step. His footprints left a trail of human, broken scars across the crystalline floor.

The moon neared the peak of its trail in the sky, and Indigo knew he'd come just in time. A gust of wind threw frigid diamonds into the clear air, and he held his arm in front of his face until it passed.

A pale bloom danced in the wind, as blue as starlight and mist, as alone as he was in the pale circle of shimmering snow. He could almost see the pulse of Aura in its fragile petals. And he knew, somehow, that this was what he was looking for. Indigo stepped forward, and knelt down to touch the icy flower.

His human finger looked strange to him, alien almost. It brushed the silky petal, as cold as the night, and the flower glowed with an inner fire, cold and sudden. It shone, and he nearly fell back as the light shot out, enveloping him and the mountain's peak.

The light faded slowly from his eyes. Indigo lowered the arm he had raised on reflex, and stared with new eyes at the peak around him. His footprints were gone, leaving the snow unbroken in a circle around him. The moon hung directly above the peak, mirroring the circle of snow, but it was as blue as Aura, and bigger than he remembered.

"What is this?" he wondered out loud, his voice seeming rough after the silence. He reached out wonderingly, and touched a perfect snowflake, hung suspended in the air.

"Beautiful, isn't it? So cold, and perfect. I really don't like snow, though. It doesn't match my personality."

Her long black hair flowed with a wind that wasn't there, like a summer breeze, carrying with it the faint sound of laughter. She wasn't inhumanly beautiful. But the spark in her eyes, and the faint curve of her lips that promised laughter with every word, made her seem more alive and engaging than simple beauty ever could. Her eyes were a dark blue that nearly matched his own. The strange woman who had appeared from nowhere was wearing a white dress, completely impractical for the weather.

And just like that, she grinned, scratching the back of her head sheepishly. "I'm not too good with this mysterious, prophetic nonsense stuff! My name is Layla Nightwalker. I'm also dead. And speaking with you. Funny how life works out like that!"

~o~

Four days passed before he heard anything from Ren Darkstone.

When the man finally appeared in his throne room, he looked as though he had been through a rough week. He hadn't shaved, and his clothes were stained colorfully with different shades of dirt and mud. He smelled like an unwashed Mightyena. His head was bound with dirty strips of cloth, which had been soaked through with blood that had dried, several times, by the rings of dried brown and red. The rugged man looked haggard, like he hadn't slept in days. His brown eyes were sunk deep into his face, but they hadn't lost their intensity. He knelt, a gesture of respect that came almost automatically. But when he spoke, his voice was rough.

"She is dead."

Tero had to suppress the sudden, murderous rage which took over him at those simple words. He kept his voice controlled, but only a fool would not be able to read the poisonous anger in his level tone. "Did you kill her?"

"No, my king," Darkstone said immediately, shaking his head for emphasis. "I would never kill the little Princesa. Her injuries at my hand were minor ones, hardly worthy of notice."

"Is that so?" Tero mused, again controlling his anger. He stood, the sheath of his sword scraping against the throne of polished rock, and the Doom of Night flinched, ever so slightly. "Then how is it," Tero said, walking deliberately slowly, behind the haggard man. "That if you did not harm her...she was killed? Did she take her own life?"

"No," Ren denied, clearly making an effort not to look back at him. "She did not. Not traditionally."

In an instant Tero's sword was at his neck, the cold steel bare inches from Ren's dirt stained throat, flickering flames licking calmly across the silver surface. He held the mans head back by the hair with his gloved hand, and when he spoke next, he leaned down almost intimately. "You have failed me. And what's more, you do not even have an explanation. The girl did not kill herself 'traditionally'? Is that supposed to be humorous? I'm afraid..." Tero slid the fire bathed sword in closer, as he spoke. "_I don't get the joke_."

"It was the tornado," Ren gasped, his pupils dilated to pinpricks, unable to tear his eyes away from the flames. He recoiled back as far as he could, as the fire scorched his skin from mere proximity. "She ran into the storm! No one could have survived on the Plains of Ai alone, with no shelter! It was madness!"

Tero dropped his grip, stepping back as he did so. Ren Darkstone fell lower, gasping for breath. Sweat gleamed on his face. Tero took no notice, sheathing his blade. Fire hissed out at the opening of the sheath as it was dampened. "Search for her body. Do not return until you find it."

Ren gaped, sweat still standing out on his brow. "M-my lord...the storm threw debris for fifty miles from the place we saw her last. Her body could be halfway across the kingdom!"

"Then that is where you will search," Tero said simply, raising an eyebrow as he inclined his head back at the kneeling man. "I warn you, Darkstone. I will not tolerate another failure. Go."

"Yes, my king," Ren said, after a beat. He bowed his head, and rose, exiting the chamber.

"My lord," Maya said, her eyebrows pinching together. "He will find nothing. The plains are vast. One girls body will be all but impossible to find."

"He will not find her. Of that I am all but certain."

"My lord..."

"The girl survived," Tero said simply. He took off the glove he had used to hold back Darkstones hair, grimacing. He tossed it to the floor. "She did not die in the storm. Ren's assignment is nothing more than a punishment for losing her. She lives, and will rise against me again. I have no doubt."

"You cannot know that," Maya deadpanned. "She was alone, and defenseless. You should be worrying about the true Princess. And now Indigo as well."

Tero laughed, and the sound echoed off the high, arched ceiling. "Indigo! Yes, he is back as well! Hasn't this been a wonderful week? I do so love my little pawns. Even when they misbehave. It will be no trouble."

She hesitated, not knowing what to say. "He has grown, my lord," she said finally, looking at him with unblinking eyes, wide and solemn. "He has grown powerful indeed. And those Pokemon..."

"Are not his," Tero assured her. "I believe, they belonged to the girl, Violet. That Kirlia...yes, things are getting more interesting by the second. I wonder what her connection to Indigo is? And where he has been, these past six months...and how he forged his soul anew in iron. I wonder many things. But all will be answered, in time. The young woman with the fiery eyes is the key to everything."

"I do not like her."

"You are incapable of dislike, my dear. Saying the words does not make it so. And it does not matter, in any case. If we can capture the girl, and turn her to our side, Indigo will fall. If he falls, the Princess does too. Young Violet is the piece who controls the board right now, to such an extent, I doubt even she understands her full importance. She has fought battles before, that much is clear...but she cannot hope to win against me."

"Where do we look?" Mayanna said, after a silence. He smiled slightly.

"Come with me, my dear. I know where to begin. Indigo being back changes everything. There is only one place he would run, and only one place he would dare to leave a friend. I will need your help for this."

~o~

"You are Layla. You?" Indigo took a step back, and his footsteps did not make a sound, did not crunch the snow. "I don't believe this."

"Well, then you've gone crazy. Take your pick," the woman offered, raising her eyebrow. "Personally, I would go with crazy. Much more pleasant, and hallucinations can be a lot of fun."

"Stop talking," Indigo ground out, glaring at the legend. "You are not real. You _cannot_ be real. This is not possible."

"It isn't, is it?" Layla Crie said cheerfully. "I do so love breaking the laws of nature. I cannot take full credit for this appearance however. It was orchestrated by one greater than I. For a very special reason. You, Indigo. I'm here because of you. You must succeed in this battle. Or else Halladen is lost forever."

"Same old, same old," Indigo growled. "The fate of the country, just like it always is. I get it. I will handle it."

She smiled, but it was sad. "This is a battle you are not prepared for. How could you be? I've seen your great loss, and the sadness it will cause you. I would do anything to stop your pain! Even bargain with Ho oh for a little destiny intervention. Nivalis did well to lead you here, my dearest Indigo."

"Dearest?" he repeated, confused despite himself. The ghost of Layla Crie looked down, despite the faint smile on her lips.

"You were raised by a woman named Linalay. She was my husbands sister, and very precious to me. A brave soul, born into a weak body. She did a good job. I almost don't have any regrets."

"You knew her?" Indigo said quietly, a long time after Layla had spoken.

The ethereal woman nodded simply, pain in her eyes. Pieces set into place in Indigo's mind, and suddenly the big picture seemed quite a bit clearer.

"My _mother _was-" Indigo choked, putting Lina and Linalay together in his mind for the very first time. Devin Nightwalkers sister, the frail Linalay, part of the rebellion that had changed Halladen and put Riza's father on the throne. Lina, sickly and kind, and Linalay, the spy who had fought for the rebellion. His mother, and a storybook figure. He pointed at Layla, realization hitting him. "You're my aunt then?"

She cringed. "Do not say that. It makes me sound _old_. And I suppose that it is technically accurate. Linalay was your mother, in nearly every way. It is a pity she died."

Indigo took a deep breath, sealing away the old sadness, and focusing on the now. He was here for a _reason_. "I need to know how to defeat Primal Entei. Without reasoning, and controlled by the King of Fire, it is warring with Raikou, while Suicune tries to stop their fights. Nature is being thrown out of balance. Before long, Ho-oh will intervene, and cleanse the land with fire to fix the scales. Everything I live for is in danger...and I'm the only one who can stop it."

Layla nodded, her eyes tight. "Halladen is in danger. You must set aside your old differences with the rightful king, and fight together to save the country. You and Princess Riza both."

"What?" Indigo hissed, shock coursing through him. Fight with Doctor Camellia? Set aside their differences, and join sides?

He couldn't.

"That isn't all," Layla warned him, obviously seeing his denial. "Primal Entei's reasoning was stripped by the controlling power of the Volcano Fur. Only it can return Entei's mind, and potentially stop the war before it truly begins."

"The Volcano Fur was destroyed," Indigo admitted. "It may have been my fault."

But Layla shook her head. "It was not destroyed entirely. You merely burnt the physical item. The _soul_ of the artifact remains alive, and burning. Inside of you, Indigo. Release it, and Entei will finally be freed of its influence. Release it, and you can free it from Tero's bondage."

Indigo touched his chest with one hand, as though he could feel the heat of the Volcano fur through his skin. "So this is all my fault."

"Naturally," Layla grinned. "I share the blame, however. I made Tero what he is. If it weren't for me, he might have grown up to be the wisest king Halladen had ever seen, and the kindest. Instead he has been warped by horrors and pain in his past, until only a twisted remnant remained of the man he might once have been. It is truly a shame."

Indigo could not imagine Tero as a good man, though it seemed a simple step for the ethereal legend. "Release it how?"

"Oh, I have no idea!" Layla laughed. "Good luck!"

"Your help has been invaluable," Indigo growled. Of course it wouldn't be so easy as _that_. He remembered something he'd been meaning to ask, but stopped himself. "How much longer can you speak with me?"

Layla looked up at the sky, and the full blue moon. Shining stars, one for each direction, traveled steadily closer to that moons radiance. "Enough time for one more question. Maybe two. Use them wisely."

Indigo took a deep breath. He needed to know, about Layla's secret weapon. Something that could potentially fix everything. The fate of the world might rest on it.

He asked his question.

"How can I send someone into the future?"

Someone brave and kind.

Someone he owed everything.

Someone he would die to say goodbye to.

Someone worth risking the world for.

"I do know a way," Layla admitted. "But it will not be easy. And it will be _permanent_. Once gone, that person will never be able to return."

"I was expecting as much," Indigo said, quietly pained. "I do not care if it is difficult. I would do anything."

Layla nodded, accepting his resolve as though she recognized it. "Nivalis has the power to send a person through time. You've witnessed it. To send someone to the future, you would have to make a bargain with her."

Indigo let out a breath sharply. "That is no small matter."

"Bargain well, or she will have your soul," Layla agreed. "My darling Ninetails does not give favors lightly."

Four stars converged slowly on the moon, getting closer every second. Indigo looked back at Layla Crie, and asked his final question. "What is your secret weapon, that was mentioned in your diary?"

"Not what, Indigo," Layla said simply. "Who."

"What do you mean?" Indigo growled. The stars grew closer, and he knew there was not much time. "Is it a person then?"

Layla closed her eyes, and a single tear fell down her pale cheek. She shuddered, as if a sadness she had been keeping locked away was leaking out. "Someone. Yes. Someone who I _knew_ without a doubt would be strong and kind, and never let down a friend. Someone who would never stray down the path of darkness, or be cruel. I was right. I can _see_ that..and I am proud."

"What are you talking about?" Indigo growled, utter frustration filling his tone. The stars touched the moon, and it gleamed like silver for the briefest instant.

Layla opened her blue eyes, and her smile was warm and heartbreaking. "Indigo Nightwalker," she said, her voice caressing the name. "I'm so sorry. Our time is up."

Snow swirled through his outstretched fingers, carried by the wind that had been frozen in time, and Layla Crie was gone as if she had never been. Indigo straightened slowly, his arm falling to his side. The moon above was distant and white. He couldn't identify what he felt. Confusion was a start, and frustration, but something was missing, and it made his heart ache.

"_You didn't ask_," the Ninetails said incredulously, a ghost image beside him. "_You had one chance, and you did not ask!_"

"I got what I came for," Indigo said quietly. "Some secrets are meant to stay that way."

"_The world could burn for this!_"

"It won't," Indigo said simply, a half smile threatening his lips. He looked over the storm swept carpet below the mountains peak, bursting with sparks of light. "I have a secret weapon, too. And together...there's nothing we can't do. Come on. It's time to go to Violet."

~o~

"_My queen_."

She stirred, lethargy covering her like a blanket. She didn't want to wake up. The voice was insistent. "_My queen, wake up!_"

Riza opened her eyes blearily, blinking to clear them. Grave was hovering over her face, concern written into his features. "_My queen,_" he insisted.

"What is it?" Riza groaned. She felt as though she'd slept for a year and a day. Her chest felt tight, like it was bound in iron, but the pain had all but disappeared. Her eyes drifted shut; Grave materialized under her arm, trying to push her up.

"Unless something is on fire, leave me be," Riza complained, sitting up despite her words. Her little valley was small and round, and covered with long green grass, broken occasionally by great stone ruins that jutted out of the earth. The entire realm was filled with mist.

But one of the ruins was smoking, great gouts of black contamination that rose into the sky. Riza groaned more emphatically.

"_Come see, my queen_," Grave insisted worriedly, pulling on her arm. "_See what she has done!_"

Her guest. Riza remembered. What on earth had she done? Suddenly worried that Violet had hurt herself worse, Riza stood, a little shakily. She ran through the mist, towards the smoking ruin, her Banette beside her, his expression pinched.

"_Don't be dead_," Riza prayed, her legs warming up to her run as she pounded through the grass. "_Don't be dead, or hurt!_"

She skidded to a stop at the missing wall of the ruins, taking in the scene breathlessly. A fire was burning in the middle of the grass filled hall, spewing smoke into the air. Ghosts hung around the flames, and sitting beside it was Violet. She poked something in the middle of the fire, several puffs of white exploded out of it, which were gleefully caught by the hovering ghosts as they came.

"See? Popcorn is amazing!" Violet grinned, to her awe struck audience. "This is a little burned, but it's still yummy! And you can make necklaces out of it. I finished yours, little Misdreavus! Do you want one too, little one? Hang on, I've got more corn."

"_You _see,_ my queen?_" Grave entreated despairingly. "_She is making _accessories!"

"We had corn?" Riza asked ruefully. "When did that occur?"

"_She_ made _us,_" the Banette groaned. "_She is _evil!_"_

Riza couldn't help but laugh. Violet turned at the sound. She beamed, waving with the hand that wasn't holding a stick with an impaled corn on the cob on the end. "You're up! Do you want popcorn? We have plenty."

Riza took a seat besides the girl, turning down the blackened 'popcorn' with a wince. Violet ate more of the stuff, grinning happily all the while. There was a burlap sack full of corn on one side of the girl, along with a jug of water, a pile of embroidery thread, and what looked like a bag that had once been yellow, with many pockets.

"Your Pokemon are sweet," Violet said, following her surprised gaze. "They even got my bag for me! And corn! We can return what we don't eat, and in the meantime, popcorn."

Riza opted for a whole cob of corn instead, uncooked. "You got them to do favors for you? That is..." she struggled for words.

"My Pokemon are stubborn. Let's just say I'm used to it," Violet said, grinning at some memory. "Except for my starter, I've had nothing but drama queens. Mr. Fin was never over dramatic and ridiculous! He was always regal and humble, the epitome of grace!" She ate popcorn as if for emphasis. Riza didn't know exactly where to start with that.

"It is impressive," Riza said finally. "Even I have problems controlling them. I often have to resort to taking their will."

"They aren't so bad," Violet said, patting a happy Misdreavus, with a popcorn necklace around its neck. "Little cuties just need some attention is all! Hey, Mr. Banette! You're back!"

Grave hid behind Riza, peering at Violet distrustfully. "_Let me dump her in a lake,_" he begged. "_A cold one!_"

Riza laughed, loud and clear, the whole ridiculous situation getting the better of her. Grave jumped, and even Violet looked a little surprised. She recovered quickly, and then she was smiling too.

"You're even prettier when you laugh!" Violet said happily. "I'm a little jealous!"

"Where are they?" Riza asked, smiling despite herself. "Your Pokemon?"

"I got separated from them," Violet admitted. "My...Lucario will be taking care of them for the time being. They'll be safe, I'm sure of it. My partners are all strong. I don't deserve them."

"You really care about your Pokemon," Riza acknowledged. "Really, truly."

Violet grinned. "My partners and friends. I don't know what I would ever do without them by my side."

Riza looked at the ghosts dancing around the fire, catching the popcorn as it burst from the cob Violet held over the fire, before it could hit the ground. They all looked happier than she had seen them in a while, full of _life_. She found herself liking Violet more and more.

She stood, her decision made. "Let me bring you to them," she said. "Your friends. Let's go to them, right now."

Violet blinked. "Really? Right now?" She stood, and Riza nearly fell over when she realized the girl was wearing _pants_, strange blue pants with a thick material. Her hair was brushed too, hanging long. Violet stood, grabbing the misshapen bag and slinging it over her shoulder with familiarity. "Let's go!"

Riza grinned despite herself at Violet's instant enthusiasm. "Do you have anything that belonged to your Pokemon? A scale, or a poke ball?"

Violet bit her lip. She rummaged in her pack, coming out with a strange purple Poke ball that gleamed in the light. A yellow 'M' was impressed into the surface. "This...well, it _might_ work. It used to belong to my Lucario, but..."

"Then it's fine," Riza assured her. _Used _to? "I can get us close. Within a few miles, I'd say. Ready?"

Violet stared at her, scrutinizing. "I think we both need a bath first," she admitted. "And you have to change. And brush your hair. And think pretty thoughts!"

"W-why exactly?" Riza said, caught off guard. Violet's eyes shone, and she clearly wasn't going to give an explanation.

"Come!" she sang, and Riza found herself being dragged towards the deep blue lake that had filled one of the submerged stone ruins.

"_Why did you not let us eat her?"_ Grave complained, hanging back fretfully, darting back and forth in the misty air.

"Why do I need a bath to bring you to your partners?" Riza asked, a little wearily. "Do I smell _that_ bad?"

Violet looked at her critically, and wrinkled her nose. "You smell like a hospital. Er. A medic tent? What are those called here? Oh, never mind. But you _can't_ go looking like you've been killing people, okay?"

"I did not kill anyone!" Riza said, stung. She stopped talking, her mind going back. _Had_ she killed anyone? "Anyways," she continued, "I do not take orders from strange, psychotic girls wearing _blue pants_." She stopped dead. "_Terin_," she breathed.

In an instant she turned to the girl. "Where is my brother?" she demanded. "If he's hurt, heaven help us both girl, I'll-"

"He is fine! I stole him a pillow and everything!" Violet insisted, seemingly taken aback by her mood change. "Your brother? Is that why you were..." she hissed suddenly, going pale. The girl looked at Riza as if with new eyes, fear and awe fighting for supremacy on her features. "You went to the castle to save him."

Coldness emanated from Riza's skin, and she went very still. "How would you be able to guess such a thing?" she said quietly. "No one knows that Terin needed 'saving'. No one."

Violet was silent for a long moment, as though realizing she had made a mistake. And then she barked out a laugh, her eyes dancing. "I didn't guess. I have psychic powers."

Riza gave her a withering look. "Is that correct?"

"I know the future," Violet said seriously, her mouth twitching as she spoke. "And the past. Which makes me psychic."

Riza sighed long, wondering just how to deal with this particular claim. "What is my middle name?" she asked finally.

"Eunice," Violet grinned. "Riza Eunice Calariam. Which is perfectly terrible. Your father should _never_ have gotten a say in your name."

Riza almost fell flat on her face as they walked. She stared at Violet with a stunned gaze, which changed to a narrow-eyed challenge. While uncommon knowledge, there _were_ some who knew that particular horror. There was another question, which only a psychic or a spy would know the answer to. "I had Pokemon, once. Name them."

"Wait, wait, I know this one!" Violet said instantly, holding out one hand. With the other, she touched her temple, as though tapping into the psychic energies of the world. "Miko was an Espeon. It means priestess, which suits the prophetic nature of the psychic eeveelution. There was also Dew, and Cocoa...and-"

"My favorite color," Riza interrupted, as she chose a new favorite color. Violet bit her lip, her forehead scrunched up with thought.

"Indigo," she said finally. "That color has meaning for you. I'm not sure it's your favorite though."

Her challenge lay still in her heart at the mention of Indigo's name, the fire guttering out. "You could still be a spy," she pointed out, somewhat wearily. "Tero could have answered all those questions as well."

"Tero is an egotistical, over dramatic monster, who probably thinks he can bathe in blood to keep his skin beautiful and smooth for all eternity," Violet insisted. Riza drew a blank, trying to understand whatever queer reference Violet was making, but the girl was not done. "I would rather jump from a skyscraper with an umbrella as a parachute than work for him."

She focused on the one word that confused her the most about that sentence. "Skyscraper?" she said tiredly. She pictured a Pokemon scraping at the sky. It was a disturbing image.

But Violet just laughed. "You know," she said with the faintest smile, "He said the exact same thing."

They came to the edge of the still deep pool, ringed by crumbling grey ruins, and extending far into the earth. Curls of mist reached towards the surface of the water, and the grass hung long over the lip of the chasm, thick and glossy green.

Riza pitched Violet into the water with one hand. She came to the surface, spluttering, and Riza grinned in response. "That," she said simply. "Is for Grave."

She took off her shoes, and leapt into the water right behind her. When she came to the surface, she felt better then she had in a long while. There was only one shadow on her heart. "You're a pretty good trainer, aren't you?" she asked, curiously.

"I'm alright," Violet said, with a small smile. "My Pokemon are the really amazing ones, though."

Riza's eyes darkened as she remembered the look in his eyes, when she left him. Fierce and strong. Indigo hadn't looked scared at all. She wondered when he had gotten so strong. Thinking of him made her heart warm and freeze all at once. What would she say to him, when she saw him again? She couldn't think of anything that would suffice.

Riza made her decision, not caring about the possible consequences. "After we find them...will you help me with a jailbreak? I left somebody behind, at the castle. And I could really use your help getting him back. Please," she added on.

"Of course," Violet said instantly. Riza stared at her, taken aback a little by her immediate answer.

"I wouldn't leave _anyone_ in his hands," she explained. And Riza understood.

~o~

Violet twirled in the sunshine, letting the rays bounce off her lightly tanned skin. She sighed, utterly and blissfully happy. She had half forgotten what real warmth felt like, after that valley. The cold there had seemed to permeate her very bones, lingering inside even when she was near the fire.

She sighed, drunk on sunshine, and wished that summer would last forever.

"The tornado is gone," she acknowledged, searching for some remnant of the monstrous storm. Blue skies filled the horizon from peak to peak, nary a dark cloud in sight. "That was fast."

"Not really," Riza said, from behind. She stood with her arms crossed tight over her chest, as though uncomfortable in the sunlight. "It has been nearly four days since the storm. Time passes a little differently in the valley of ghosts."

"What?" Violet repeated, drawing out the word. She blinked. "That is..." she struggled for words. "So cool. So very, very cool."

She could feel Riza roll her eyes. Violet looked at her. Her hair was soft, and glowed in the light, and her fair skin was nearly perfect. The only thing remaining of the bruise on her collarbone was a faint shadow, a whisper of a past wound. She fidgeted, looking unsure of herself, and even Violet knew it was ridiculously cute. Her simple white shirt should have been baggy, but instead clung to her curves, somehow accentuating rather than obscuring. She wore no make up, and looked like an air brushed movie star. She had looked pretty even half dead, and covered in blood.

There was no part of it that wasn't incredibly unfair. Violet sighed.

"We should be close to your Pokemon," Riza said, missing that sigh. "Within half mile, I'd say. Of course, it would be easier if we'd done this at night. Sepira's spirit tracking is stronger then. If we both search, it will go by faster."

But Violet just smiled, her hair waving slightly in the breeze. "I know where they are," she said simply.

They stood on the edges of Ebony village, somehow cheerful despite the gray stones. It probably had something to do with the flowers that spilled out of every window box, and the sunny sky. Joyce's little home was settled just inside the town, a little brighter than the other buildings surrounding it. Violet laughed, shaking her head.

"I guess there was nowhere else to go. Where else could I be expected to show up?" Violet turned to the Princess. "You go first," she suggested, despite the pang in her chest. "I'll join you in five minutes or so. So...so we make sure it isn't a trap. No sense in it getting both of us," she lied, despite aching to know if Indigo was okay. She couldn't deny that Riza's claim was stronger than hers. She was just a girl, and Riza...

"You can go first," Riza said, trying to keep the suspicion out of her voice. "I insist. I'll follow in five minutes. If something goes wrong, I can get you out." She obviously didn't trust her. Not completely. But Violet found she couldn't blame her.

"Yeah," Violet nodded, her spirits undeniably lifted. She tried to keep it out of her voice. "Five minutes, okay?" Riza nodded. Violet turned her feet towards Indigo.

She wouldn't make Riza wait, Violet promised herself. She would get Indigo, and bring him to her immediately. This was destiny after all. She shouldn't waste even a minute. The door to the store house was locked. Violet frowned, peering in through the window. The inside was bare. Dust motes danced in the sunlight. A sock lay on the ground, where her pack had been before Mr. Banette had fetched it for her.

She backed away, frowning. And turned to the house, through the garden. Her heart beat unevenly. Riza had said they were close. Could she have been wrong? _Was_ this a trap, after all? Ren Darkstone had found her here once. But he hadn't known about Indigo. Surely he wasn't in danger?

She went to the back door. It opened easily under her hands, creaking ever so slightly. She walked in slowly, looking around. "Hello?" she called, her voice small. The room was empty. But before she could say anything else, she heard voices.  
>"-the Plains of Ai. She could have hid," a very familiar voice was insisting. "If she made it to the Whispermist forest..."<p>

"She couldn't have lived. You killed her as surely as you killed Riza's parents," Kaya's voice cut back. "And if you go out _again_, you'll be killed too."

The inner door opened, and Indigo was there, his deep blue hair tousled. Violet jumped, surprised that he wasn't the Lucario she had been half expecting, despite herself. "I'll be back before nightfall," Indigo assured the woman in the other room. "I promise."

Violet tried to speak, but the words died in her throat. She stared, unable to blink, her breath catching as well. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, and then Indigo saw her too.

"_Violet_," he breathed. He took two long strides, and enveloped her in his arms, holding her tight like he was never going to let go. The strap of her bag slipped through her fingers, falling to the floor, and then she was hugging him too, crying traitor tears that came out without permission. She found she didn't care.

"Indigo," she said, sobbing. "Indigo. You're alive. I was so...so _scared."_

A growl rumbled in his chest at that, as if telling her to worry about herself. "Where have you been?" he demanded, into her hair. She felt like a child, in his arms. Indigo was much bigger than he had been in her time. "I've been searching for _days_, Vie! How did you escape? And the storm..."

"I ran into the tornado to escape," she confessed, not looking up at him. She felt him stiffen at her words. She went on, hurriedly. "But I'm alright! So much has happened, Indigo..."

"To escape from who?" Indigo demanded. His tone was flat, cold. It sent a jolt of fear down her spine.

"The new Nightwalker," she confessed, still not looking up at his face. "Ren Darkstone. He's called the Doom of Night. He works for the king. Who may hold a grudge from that time I broke into his castle..."

Indigo let out a shuddering breath. His arms relaxed, and he stepped back, his hands still on her shoulders. He surveyed her bruises, and something inside his eyes seemed to break. He closed them, breathing in raggedly. As though he blamed _himself_ for some reason. Violet's eyes narrowed. She opened her mouth to tell him it wasn't _his_ fault, but his quiet words cut her off.

"I'm glad," he said quietly. "I'm glad you're alive. I don't know what I'd do without you, Violet."

"You'd eat far less cake?" Violet suggested, her mouth breaking into a grin. Indigo barked out a laugh at that. His hands fell from her shoulders. For the first time, Violet noticed Kaya in the doorway, staring at Violet with a stunned expression on her face. And before Violet could really react, Kaya hugged her too, fiercely.

She was frozen, stiff with surprise. She relaxed slowly, and hugged the old woman back, her smile widening. Kaya let go quickly. "So you survived," she said gruffly. "That's...good."

And Violet remembered what she had come here to do. She gasped, remembering _Riza_. "Come outside," she said, tugging Indigo's arm. "Quick!"

"What is it?" Indigo said, allowing himself to be led all the same. He took her hand, making her job a little easier. "You didn't catch a new Pokemon did you?" He sounded like he was only half teasing.

"Better," Violet grinned. "Come see." She pulled him through the backyard, and the gate. The sunny flowers matched her mood, which soared high.

They walked out of town, and the grassy field that heralded the edge of the Plains of Ai was empty. Violet turned, confused. Riza wasn't there. She was nowhere to be seen. Abruptly, Violet was worried that the Princess had left her alone, and gone to the castle to save her friend. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest, but suddenly, Indigo's hand was very still in hers.

She turned, and saw what he did.

A girl stepped out of the shadows nearer to the town, away from the open space. Her amethyst eyes were wide, with disbelief, and something else Violet could not define. It was easier to define the brightness that filled those eyes, shining and heartbreaking.

No words needed to be spoken then. Indigo's hand slipped out of hers, and she couldn't have stopped her bittersweet smile if she'd tried.

She turned away, despite the happiness that welled up inside her heart. Because a kiss like that belonged in a fairy tale. And if she looked too long, the spell might break.

She let the sun dance on her skin, and tilted her face up to the sky, completely content with the world.

~o~

~o~

**A/N** Hey there. Sorry for the slow update. Life has been a little rushed the past few weeks. I'm just glad I _did_ finish. This chapter has many parts that make it one of my favorites, after all!

As always, I'd like to thank my awesome readers, who turned this silly, badly written plot bunny into a story worth reading. If I hadn't had you guys, this would never have happened. Because of you I've had a chance to improve my writing, and I was able to edit the first chapters into readability. It's amazing how far this has come, and it's all thanks to you guys! Your reviews have been my inspiration, and they brought my characters to life. Thank you.

I swear this will not drag on for too much longer. I've already started to write other fics, which will make their way up eventually as well. This will not be a permanent hiatus story, I promise!

Thanks again for putting up with me. Haha ^^ Enjoy your summer!

~KagoTori


	32. Of Starlight and Flames

"Where should we begin?" Riza asked quietly. The candle flames flickered, throwing warm light on her face. Indigo was unused to candlelight. Electric lights were normal for him now, and their absence made him feel like an outsider. He liked what the shifting glow did to Riza's features, though.

He considered her question. It was late already. Violet had long gone to bed, along with every other soul in the house. For the first time in what felt like decades, they were alone, and could speak without fear of being overheard. Everything seemed fake to him, for some reason. Like the whole life he'd led after being cursed was nothing but a dream, and he would wake up at any moment.

But there was one thing that he knew could not be a dream.

"Violet," he said, equally quiet. The word had weight. He hardly knew where to start, with that subject in mind. Luckily, Riza seemed to grasp what he himself didn't.

"Do you love her?"

He opened his mouth immediately to deny it, because he knew it wasn't a romance with Violet. But as soon as he did, he knew that denying he had affection for her would be a lie.

He told her the truth, shifting his arm around her shoulder a little tighter. They were sitting against the wall, Riza's head on his shoulder, sitting close like they could not bear to be apart. "She was a Pokemon trainer in the future, when I met her," he said into the rich silence, telling the story much like he had told Violet his own. "I was cursed. And proud. I thought I was invincible, and my power such that none could master me. I sought the meaning of strength, and in doing so, lost sight of the answer. Violet was weak, and silly, and I thought nothing at all of her, at first. She captured me without so much as a fight, and my rage knew no bounds. But before long, I saw something in her that had nothing to do with weakness. Violet was brave. Despite all her flaws, that shy girl was brave."

"Shy?" Riza asked, closing her eyes. He could tell she was still listening, as her fingers played with the fabric of his shirt. He laughed, quietly, remembering.

"On first meeting. She opens up with time."

"Tell me," Riza said, without emphasis or pressure, simply wanting to know.

He did. He told her of the strangeness of the future, of his frustrations with his own weakness, of Violet's kindness, and Violet's strength. He told her his story, sparing himself nothing, and let her see a life beyond what they had shared together. He told her silly stories, and heartbreaking scenes, and centered within each of them was his trainer and friend. He couldn't possibly tell everything, but he tried, and after every sad story, he did his best to make her smile with something lighthearted and trivial. It lifted his heart whenever she laughed, her voice low and dusky.

"You aren't the same anymore, are you Indigo? That makes me a little sad," Riza said, and he could hear the wistfulness in her voice. "These past months...nothing is the same, is it?"

He wanted to deny it, instantly. But again, his words paused before they could be spoken. "One thing hasn't changed," he said quietly, raising her chin slowly with a finger. She leaned into the kiss, and her lips were warm and impossibly soft. When they broke apart, they stayed close for a moment, touching foreheads, and Riza smiled beatifically. She shifted, pillowing her head against his chest, the smile lingering on her lips.

"You do love her then," she stated, without resentment or anger. "She's special, in your eyes."

"Are you upset?" Indigo asked, a trace of worry coloring his tone. He didn't know what he would do if she was angry. He didn't know how to cut out the part of his heart that was Violet's. "Or jealous? I never meant-"

"I'm not upset," Riza said, her serene words making it impossible to detect a lie. "Maybe...maybe a little jealous. She's gotten to spend so much time with you. I just wish it could have been _me_. But I can see that you care about her, and why. So I won't be angry. Just a little sad. I've missed you."

"I missed you more," Indigo said, fighting a smile when she glared at him. She brushed her hair back with one hand, and Indigo caught it in his own. He looked at her, almost reproachfully. "Which brings us to our next order of business. I will only ask this once. What did you do to your hair?"

Riza flushed self consciously, her face framed by a halo of short, golden hair, bobbed around her face. "I cut it. It seemed symbolic at the time. I even used a sword."

Indigo closed his eyes, trying to process. Riza sat up, tugging on his arm anxiously. "Do you not like it? Is it bad? I tried to clean it up, afterwards, but I'm not exactly-"

He cut her off with a kiss. His hand held the back of her head, and he could feel her heart beat faster. It was a long time before he let her go. When he did, his voice was rough. "I liked your hair. You cut it off."

He kissed her again. When they broke apart, breathing hard, it was Riza who spoke. "Is that a problem?"

Indigo looked at her flushed cheeks, and her bright, violet eyes, framed with soft amber. "It could grow on me," he conceded, touching the ends, just below her new, messy bangs, letting it slip through his fingers. "If I see it often enough."

"I can live with that," Riza breathed, meeting his eyes. She tilted her face up, pressing her lips to his as an added affirmation.

When they broke apart, it was with a sigh. "What else do we have?" Riza asked, resuming her seat beside him, some of her glow dampened. Indigo was silent for a long time.

"You left me behind," he said quietly, carefully not looking at her. He could feel her go tense, from where their arms touched.

"I had to save Terin," she said finally, her voice small. "I _had_ to. If I had had any choice-"

But Indigo was shaking his head, roughly. "Not then. Before. You chose to sacrifice yourself, and you went to_ him_ alone. Did you think I wouldn't help? That I wouldn't fight to save you? We could have fought together...but you took the choice from my hands."

Riza moved so she was looking at him straight, her eyes curiously flat. "You think I went alone because I did not trust you," she stated, with dawning disbelief. "You really do, don't you?"

His jaw went hard in response, and anger sparked in her eyes. "That isn't why I left," she growled. He met her glare evenly.

"Why then?" Indigo said roughly, pain coloring his voice. "Is it because I was the Nightwalker? I understand, if..."

She held his face in both hands, cutting off his words. "Listen very closely, Indigo, because I will not repeat myself," she said, deadly quiet. "I left because I was afraid. I thought that if I didn't go, Tero would hurt you, or kill you. And I couldn't take that risk. Even if it was wrong, even if people died for it, I could not risk losing you. I left because _I_ was not strong enough to face that possibility. It was selfish, and caused a lot of pain. But I refused to let you be taken away from me. And in the end, I lost you anyways. It seemed...a cruel sort of justice, then. Like a punishment for loving someone, and for trying to be happy. I felt I deserved it."

"As if you could ever deserve pain," Indigo said quietly, holding her gaze so that she could not look away. "As if you ever deserved to fall in love with one such as me. But love makes people do stupid things. Which brings us to our next point."

Silence fell like a landslide, heavy and impossible to break. Riza clearly knew what he was referring too. Her head dropped, breaking their gaze, as she stared at her hands instead. He would have spoken. He wanted to. But he found that he quite literally could not. His words were bound by shame and guilt. He had never dealt with this, never found a scenario in which she could ever, ever forgive him. And now his fear silenced him.

Riza spoke first. "Tell me it was an accident," she said, her voice ever so small. It broke his heart to hear. She looked so small, so vulnerable, and he wanted nothing more than to comfort her.

"I won't," Indigo said, finally. Her gaze snapped up to his, incredulous.

"Why not?" she demanded, violet eyes flashing.

"Because it would be a poor rationalization for my own idiocy," Indigo growled back at her. "I didn't set out to kill anyone, especially not your family, but it was my actions that caused those deaths. To say it was merely an accident...I could never put aside responsibility like that. It would be like trying to forget it ever happened, and that I had anything to do with it. Something like that would be a disgrace to the memory of those lives."

"It was not you," Riza said, cold steel in her quiet voice. "A Legendary was acting on your nightmares, feeding off the small fears in your heart. You would _never_ have-"

"Your father was a monster, Riza," Indigo said, wishing the words did not need to be said. "He took the throne through steel and fire. He murdered Tero's parents, and hired Doctor Camellia for his dirty work in the rebellion. He created the monster we fight today, driven by revenge and blood lust. Tero became the new Doctor Camellia because he was twisted by hate. If he had lived, I don't know that I could have avoided the necessity of his death."

"I know that," Riza said, shaking her head. "I _know_ that he was a monster, a-and that he was all those things. But he was also my _father_. What could you possibly know about that? How could you understand?"

He took a sharp breath. Immediately Riza looked up, her eyes widening. "I'm sorry, I never meant-"  
>"It's true," Indigo conceded, after a heartbeat. "I never knew my father. I suppose I wouldn't understand." The silence came back, and he despaired of a resolution. He didn't think there was one, not really. Just as there was no way to erase what had happened. He had killed the King, and the Queen, and forgiveness could not change that, could not erase her pain. Some part of her would resent it, even if she did give him those words. He knew it, because he'd felt it for himself.<p>

"I should hate you," Riza whispered. He felt a pang at her words, but could not refute them. "Really. I should hate you more than Tero, more than anything. But instead...I'm just terrified that I'll lose you because of this. It isn't rational. I _do_ hate you, even if it was never your fault! But I still love you. I can't understand it. Maybe I don't want to."

"Just say the words," Indigo said, and it was only through the new iron strength in his soul that he was able to mean it. "If you don't want to see me again, I will respect that. No matter what."

He was still in the aftermath of his words, waiting on the edge of that sword. Her head was down again, spiky and blonde, and he knew that she was crying without having to see. He would have hated those tears, had any part of his being not been preparing for the end of everything. The candlelight played with their shadows, and he could have counted their heartbeats.

Her shoulders started to shake in earnest, and suddenly he could take it no more. He wrapped his arms around her slim frame, holding her close as her sobs let loose. "You don't have to decide now," he whispered, soothing her pain as if he knew how. Each word was a kind of agony, but he gave them to her without qualm, his tone serene over his own pain. "Later. Until you know, it can wait until later."

She didn't say anything more. After a while, he laid her gently to the ground, unconscious. Then, he went to find her a pillow better than his jacket.

~o~

Violet was already crying when the light faded, and her partners were before her once more. She sucked in a breath, trying not to lose it. "I-I missed you guys!" she sobbed, so happy she could barely stand it. Her Ditto launched itself at her face, a very happy pink blob that made cute noises. Mr. Fin towered over her, so huge he blocked out the sun above with his shadow. He almost knocked her over with his head, bumping against her as he rumbled, deep in his throat. Violet patted his deep blue scales, trying very hard to keep a stiff upper lip. It wasn't working. Indigo watched from the shade of the house, a slight smile on his strange new face.

Violet eventually assured herself that the two were alive and well, still blubbering uncontrollably. She turned to the disdainful Froslass, hovering a slight distance away. The ghost flinched at the expression on her face, backing up a bit.

"_Hug me and I freeze you for a thousand years,"_ she threatened, her eyes narrowing into slits. Violet stopped, instants away from doing just that, and settled for beaming instead. Her Froslass's glare intensified. "_Stop being happy,"_ she insisted, her bell like voice chiming.

"Loosen up, Lassie," Indigo called, his voice rough and amused. "You didn't do much anyways."

"_My trainer was missing, and a dolt took her place_," Froslass hissed, turning on Indigo. The air temperature dropped alarmingly, as cold emanated from her bone white form. "_She would not have led me into a legends fire. Flames like that burn for an eternity, consuming all they touch. If your frail human mind had seen the blow coming, I would have been able to fight._"

"Lassie got caught in a stray blast early on," Indigo explained. "She lasted maybe thirty seconds after I released her. And she is not taking it well."

"_Why are you still here?"_ Froslass demanded, her glare as dead as the heart of winter. "_Violet does not need you as a weak human. You are useless._"

His smile disappeared. "I am more of an asset than you, ghost," he said quietly. "Violet does not want me gone."

She laughed, loud and scornful. "_You've killed her_," she said, her voice caressing the word with venom. "_She'll die in the past, hundreds of years before she was born, trapped in the dark ages before the humming light. You murdered her, as surely as if you had struck her down with your own bloodied hands."_

Violet stepped in between them quickly, as Indigo took a step towards her, cold steel in his eyes. "Let's not fight," she begged, holding out her hands. "Lassie, play nice. Indigo didn't do anything. And I'm okay, see? Not murdered, or anything like that. Just Violet."

"_You think I can't see?_" Froslass said incredulously. "_Your heart aches. You miss old friends, and mourn for their loss. Why, I'm surprised you _aren't_ blaming the boy. Your pain runs deep, yet you hide it from his eyes."_

"You will be silent," Riza said, her quiet voice resonating power. She stepping out of the house, her eyes fixed on the ghost. "I will not have you spreading such poison."

"_The Queen of Night, I take it,"_ the white ghost murmured, meeting her eyes with a half lidded gaze. "_My my. You're quite the human. Tainted with shadows, warring with the curse still within you. You'll die of that struggle, if one or both is not removed soon. It's eating you alive."_

"I said _**silence**_," Riza hissed, her voice gaining a deep echo. Her hair rose around her face for the briefest instant, as though moved by wind. The word struck Froslass like a blow, and she reeled back. She straightened again, pure hatred in her eyes. But she did not speak.

"Hey," Violet complained. "No mind control!" She gave Riza a pointed look. "Let go."

Riza's expression turned exasperated. She looked to Indigo, as if asking him to make his silly friend see reason. He did not meet her gaze, although he clearly noticed, taking a deep, ragged breath instead. He nodded once, quickly, and Riza sighed. She waved her hand, and the air made a sound like something being unzipped.

"_She is afraid of my words,"_ Froslass murmured, a little subdued. "_She would force them to keep silent."_

"You have a beautiful voice," Violet said quietly, kneeling down to be at her level. "Just try and keep your words the same way sometimes, okay? Hard truths are never easy to hear. Not even when we think they are what someone needs to accept. People need to change on their own, sometimes."

The ghost sighed wistfully. "_Perhaps I should have killed _you_, while you still held onto such idealistic notions. Yet you insist on living, and dying slowly. It is strange to watch."_

"That's what life is," Violet reminded her firmly. "Change _is_ life. And without it, there's nothing worth holding onto."

Froslass exhaled a diamond flurry of white, sparkling in the light of the aging dawn. Crystals formed a glittering figure in the midst of the sudden cold, hovering over the ghosts dainty white hands. She held out the completed rose, until Violet took its fragile stem in her hands.

"Thank you," she said, surprised. "It's beautiful."

"_Watch it_," Froslass commanded, unusually serious. "_Perhaps then, you will understand_." She closed her eyes, and disappeared into a flash. Her Ultra ball shook once as the light filtered inside.

"It's melting already," Violet explained, standing up slowly. "She knew it would not last." To her utter surprise, Riza was staring at her, as though she had grown wings. Indigo had a knowing look in his strange new eyes. His smile was half there, as though he were not surprised in the slightest.

"What?" Violet complained. Riza shook her head numbly, not saying a word. Violet turned to Indigo instead, questioning.

"She's starting to see," he explained, which actually explained nothing. "Who you are. And why I am who I am, today."

"It's all so new to me," Riza said quietly. "You wouldn't last ten seconds against Tero. How on earth have you done the things you have? By all accounts, it doesn't make sense."

"Remember, love," Indigo reminded her, looking at her with his strange blue eyes. "Violet taught me strength, not kindness. You'd have to see her battle to understand."

Violet stopped stroking Mr. Fin's scales for a moment, as a new thought occurred to her. "A battle," she said thoughtfully. "Why don't we? Battle, I mean. After the past few days, a little fun would be good for everyone."

"Riza? Have you trained your ghosts to fight other Pokemon?" Indigo checked, turning to the blonde girl.

"Not me," Riza said, smiling at him. Violet's heart panged just a little at how close they seemed. "You, Indigo. Battle against Violet. I'll watch."

"I don't-" Indigo broke off, completely thrown for a loop. "Me and Violet? I don't even have my Pokemon."

"One," Violet said quietly. She dug around in her pack, pulling out a rusted metal sphere. He obviously recognized it. He sucked in a breath, staring at the object in her hands.

"Where did you-"

"Let's," Violet said, with fervor. "You and me, Indigo. Let's battle each other." It would be like battling the other half of her _soul_. They had had battles before, where it had felt like their minds were connected, with a bond of fire. She could not imagine what it would be like to battle someone whose mind she knew so well, and whose moves she could predict. Almost as well as he could predict her. How on earth could such a battle ever _end?_

She found that she badly wanted to find out. He must have read the yearning in her eyes, and understood. He laughed quietly, closing his eyes as his hand tightened around his Jolteon's Poke ball.

"Very well then. I will not give you any mercy, Violet. But there's something you need first."

He walked forward slowly, gathering her hands in his. When he released them, a cool sphere lay in her palms. The moon on the surface was scratched through, as though it were broken. He took a step back, his eyes on her.

"Avery," Violet said, a little numbly. "Is it really so bad?" Indigo nodded, and Violet took a deep, ragged breath. "I need to speak with her alone," she said quietly, raising her gaze to his. When had he gotten so tall? Her Indigo, scarlet eyes replaced with icy blue. "She needs to hear my voice."

"An hour then," Indigo said, matching her tone evenly. "We could both use some time to reconnect."

"Yeah," Violet agreed, relieved that he understood so easily. "I won't...I won't go far, okay? And I'll bring all my Pokemon. Just in case."

He nodded, although she didn't understand the flicker of hurt in his eyes, gone in a flash. Violet squeezed the sphere in her hands tighter, and turned away. She picked up her abused backpack, as she walked into the border of the plains, away from the city. Words filtered back into her head as she walked, every step talking her further away from her friends. And suddenly breathing was hard for a different reason.

"Allison," she breathed, her voice small and cracking. "Piper. Roy. Tara, Kylie, _everyone_." She didn't think she had ever felt so alone, not ever. But they were gone now, and she'd live her whole life without seeing them again.

"I knew that," she whispered, into the warm winds and the long grass, as she walked a little faster. "I _knew_ what it meant. I knew...I knew it would be _forever_."

But forever suddenly seemed like a very long time.

She sat down suddenly, hidden by the long grass, and tried very hard not to cry. She had Indigo, and her Pokemon. She was not alone.

But he had Riza. He didn't need her anymore. His story already had a happy ending. What was her excuse?

She felt like a terrible human being, because part of her blamed Indigo, and that wasn't fair, it _wasn't._ No one was to blame, and that made it worse. She wished, for a moment, that everything was normal again, and Indigo was still cursed. She did start to cry then, because that was the most selfish thing she could imagine.

But she didn't have time to feel sorry for herself. Avery was hurting, too. She took a ragged breath, calming her tears, and just sat for a moment, as the sun beat on her skin, as though everything was okay. She held onto the moment as though it would never end, wishing that were the truth. She realized that she missed Indigo, missed how they were before. Something had changed, more than just his body, and it was a strange hurt. She didn't know how to fix it.

She raised her face to the sky, the sunlight turning the backs of her eyelids red, and breathed out in a long sigh. She opened her eyes, and pushed the center of the Poke ball simultaneously, not looking as the beam of red shot out into the world.

Avery was shaking. It was not tears, or regret that shook her frame, but something else. To Violet, it looked like pain. Her heart clenched. Her friend was hurting.

"Hey," she said, when her Gardevoir did not look up. "How are you holding out? Is it bad?"

Avery did not even turn to her. She looked dirty, and it took a moment for Violet to recognize the color of dry blood, marring her beautiful white dress as though she were a homicide victim. Her slender hand shot out, and a psychic blast of emotion rocked through Violet's mind, a confused jumble of pain, horror, lust, and joy. She flinched back as though struck, suddenly very cold despite the warm day.

"O-okay. Not alright then," she said faintly, earning a contemptuous glare from Avery. Dark thoughts flitted behind her crimson eyes, as she stared at Violet. "It's not your fault, you know," Violet said quietly, seeing that darkness. She tried to ignore the small fluttering of fear that refused to be repressed, but she knew when Avery felt it. Her smile turned savage, mocking almost.

"You saved Indigo's life," Violet continued, almost hurriedly. "You tried to destroy Tero-" A flinch from that name, like she had been shocked. "-and you helped the Princess escape. You broke up a fight between _legendaries_. You're amazing. I love you, and you're amazing."

Uncertainty flitted across Avery's features, different and strange. She opened her mouth, and a song note echoed, questioning and afraid. And suddenly she was shuddering again, as though she were bitterly cold. She hunched over, crying out as if in pain.

"It's okay," Violet gasped, hugging her on impulse. "It's not your fault, it's not, and it's okay! I don't hate you, and the next time I see Tero, I'll punch him right in his stupid face, alright? Just for you. Seeing his mind doesn't make you evil. That's his darkness. You just borrowed it is all. You can give it back. Honest."

Avery looked up at her, and Violet flinched from the utter hatred she saw there. It was as though Avery were screaming at her that she did not understand, and the hate turned into frustration before her eyes. Avery drew back, and black power crackled down her arms like lightning.

"Avery?" Violet asked, her eyes wide. And a bolt of pure psychic power slammed into her, sending her flying into the dirt fifteen feet away. She felt her arm snap beneath her, and Violet screamed without giving herself permission to. Pain scorched through her forearm with such intensity she could not possibly think of anything else, could not breathe except in shallow bursts. Black power curled around her arm, holding it at a slight angle.

And she could not think. Finally, the pain ebbed, just enough for her to suck in a decent breath, as the dark power released her. She looked up, face pale and smudged with dirt, and Avery's eyes were cold. She stood tall, stained with dried blood, a dark angel with death in her mind. She looked down at Violet, as though seeing her for the first time.

"This is what it's like?" Violet said, over her own searing pain, trying to understand. She pushed herself shakily to her knees with her good arm, her voice nearly unrecognizable. "This is...what you want? To cause pain? Is that what he gave you?" Her voice cracked on the last word, and she bowed her head, spots swimming in front of her eyes.

Avery's face twisted with anger. She hit her again, with a contemptuous flick of her arm, and a strange excitement played over her features when Violet hit the ground again.

"Talk to me!" Violet shouted, pushing herself up again. "You can! I know you can! Echo could, when she felt like it. I don't understand, so _tell_ me!" Her arm burned white hot, and Violet thought she would die of that burn. It was hard to focus. She tried anyways, choking on her own determination.

The Poke balls at her waist shook madly, but little bands of black held them closed. Violet refused to look away from Avery's gaze, despite her shaking limbs. Bruises spread from her fractured left arm, darkening quickly. And her Gardevoirs expression changed ever so slightly.

"_See." _Violet's eyes widened at the word that echoed into her mind. She did not have time to respond. Circles of white spiraled around her, sparking with all the colors of the sky. And the hillside vanished entirely, as Avery teleported her away.

The world remade itself into a balcony made of stone, overlooking the countryside and the distant mountain range that separated Halladen from the place she called home. An overhang kept the balcony itself in darkness, the cool stone blocking the light and heat of day.

She was not alone. Tero turned, his dark eyes widening ever so slightly with shock. "You know," he said thoughtfully, "I really have to stop being surprised by things like this. Violet, isn't it?"

~o~

The cold of the ghost realm felt like death after the morning she'd spent soaking in sunlight. Riza closed the way behind her with a happy sigh, not watching the black space zip itself closed. She bent down and took off her sandals. She walked through the long, dew coated grass barefoot, swinging her shoes in one hand. The void sky seemed prettier to her today, familiar almost. She hummed as she walked, a song she remembered from her childhood. Dark shapes peered at her with surprise from the shadows of the crumbled ruins, shrinking back from her automatically. She knew they were there, but didn't acknowledge them.

"Are you feeling any better today?" she said, kneeling next to the unconscious figure on the ground, surrounded by white flowers and deep green grass, in the middle of a shattered set of ruins without a roof. Terin didn't respond. He had been out for roughly three days now, in the distorted time of this realm. "I have good news," Riza said, even though he did not respond. "I have so much news, but...Indigo is back. Not that you remember, boo, but he was your hero once. He raised your Pokemon, Greenly. You always looked up to him. He was strong. He still is, but it's different now. I can't even explain it right. Indigo is different, but still himself. He's grown up."

She held a water skin to his lips as she spoke, trickling the liquid down his throat. The unconscious boy swallowed on impulse every once in a while, and she was careful not to pour too much. "He was a Lucario for the longest time," she continued, and the shadows started to emerge from the walls. "Personally I would have pegged him for a different Pokemon. Maybe a fish. But that's mean, isn't it? The thought of an Indigo-fish is just too funny though! Maybe that's the only reason I think so. You on the other hand, I see as a fighter. Maybe a Tyrogue. Something that could change depending on how they saw the world as a child. I wonder what it's like to be a Pokemon."

"_My queen_," Sepira whispered hesitantly, as though afraid to address her.

"Yes?" Riza asked, acknowledging her. "What's wrong?"

She looked taken aback. "_Nothing,"_ she said quickly. "_You have been away. We worried."_

"I appreciate it," Riza said dryly. "I am capable of taking care of myself for a day however. There is no need to worry."

"_Of course_," Sepira said quickly. "_We know this_. _There is one matter..._"

Riza sighed, setting down the cloth she'd been cleaning Terin's dirt stained face with. She turned to her Gengar directly, meeting her eyes. Her first instinct had been a brush off, but she remembered Violet without permission, and her patience when dealing with her Pokemon. "What is it?" she asked, trying to be kind. "You can tell me."

"_It is not a large matter," _Sepira admitted, "_It is just that the boy woke up hours ago_."

In an instant the cold steel of a knife was at her neck, pressing a dent into her skin. "Don't move," Terin snarled, his voice achingly familiar. "Or I slit your worthless throat."

Riza froze, going perfectly still on instinct. "You're awake," she said, not knowing what else to say. "I'm glad." With one hand she made a sharp gesture to stop her ghosts from attacking him.

"Shut up," he ground out, pressing his knife a little harder against her skin. "You're going to get me out of this place. Stand up. Slowly."

She followed his instructions, raising her hands in a gesture of surrender. Her heart squeezed painfully. He had grown taller. He was almost to her height now. It enabled him to hold his knife without her stooping down. "Now walk," he instructed, ignoring the hundreds of glowing red eyes that had appeared in every shadow, following his every move. "Don't try anything."

"I would not dream of it," Riza responded evenly, humoring him. She walked, staring straight ahead. "You've grown taller."

"I said to shut up," Terin hissed. "I will not listen to your tricks. Father warned me about you. You're dangerous."

Her eyebrows shot up at that, and suddenly holding back her ghosts was much harder as they responded to her rage. Father? "You mean Tero? You believe _he_ is your father? Your family?"

"He is. Stop talking."

So Riza laughed instead. "He's not old enough for that," she pointed out, still walking carefully ahead. The knife at her neck was steady.

"As if you know anything about him!" Terin said, anger making his voice ugly. "You took everything from us! My father's throne, my mother's life, my _memories_! You stole them all. You don't have the _right_ to speak of him."

"I feel as though I'm in a plot-less novel," Riza muttered to herself. "Is that the best he could do? Next I'll have an evil twin. Tell me, am I bent on revenge as well?"

"As if you're not," Terin snorted. He stopped, looking around. "Here. This is where you came in. Open the door out, and I won't kill you."

Riza lifted her arm to eye level, pointed straight. She was still for a long moment before she let it fall with a sigh, the portal unopened. "You've got a lot to learn, little brother," she said fondly. He stiffened with surprise behind her.

"I'm not kidding!" he threatened, the knife drawing a thin line of blood. "Open it now, monster!" She ignored the monster part, although it bit at her heart. "No," she said evenly. "You kill me, and you're trapped here forever. And I don't think my ghosts would be too happy with you if you went through with that plan..."

She heard his audible gulp as he stared at the misty ground, half hiding malevolent eyes and shadow forms, all staring directly at him. And slowly, his knife hand dropped. She spun in an instant, twisting his wrist in a practiced movement. The knife, _her_ knife, actually, fell, and she caught it one hand easily, turning it on him. She held it at his chest for a long moment. Then she flipped it around, returning it to her belt. His eyes were wide with surprise at how quickly she had moved. She gave him a pointed look.

"So now I'm your prisoner?" Terin said, his voice cracking just a little. She leaned in, scrutinizing his features, before flicking him in the forehead. He stumbled back as if she'd punched him, but his eyes were surprised.

"Idiot," she said simply. And she spun on one heel, opening the portal to the world of sunshine with a sound like tearing cloth. She looked at him over her shoulder. "Coming?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. He stared at her, uncertainty warring on his face.

"It's a trap," he said finally. "You're trying to trick me."

Riza sighed, looking at him fondly. "Suit yourself," she said, turning back to the exit. "There's popcorn if you're hungry. Don't ask where it all came from. Behave, and my ghosts will allow you to stay in one piece before I return," she said, trying to scare him so he didn't try something stupid. From the fearful looks he gave the suddenly empty mist, she figured she'd succeeded.

The Princess walked out into the sunlight, and the portal closed behind her. She looked down, and realized she'd forgotten her shoes.

~o~

In an instant Violet was on her feet, leaping for the door that led indoors from the balcony. Tero caught her arm before she made it - her broken one - and she let loose a scream of pain, backing into the pull on pure instinct. She fell to her knees, panting through the receding waves of agony. Tero walked to the door as she did so, pulling it closed firmly. He turned, watching her with dark eyes as she caught her breath.

"I hardly know where to begin," he said at last, musing. A savage smile lit up his face. "This is quite the turn of events. If you came here for another attack, I can't commend your planning skills. Alone, without Pokemon, and with a bad fracture on top of that." She looked down to the belt around her waist with a start, realizing he was right. Her Poke balls were gone. "Really," he continued. "What were you thinking? Not that I'm complaining."

See. That's what Avery had said. See _what_? Was she trying to get her...

Violet cut off the thought harshly. Avery wouldn't do that. _Not before she evolved_, a small voice whispered insidiously in her mind. She was completely defenseless. Fear coiled in her heart. "I came here to see something," she whispered, her voice rough. "With my own eyes. A-and I can leave. Whenever I want. Avery will teleport me out of here." She hoped.

"A visit then," Tero said, raising an eyebrow. "Tell me...what is it you came to see? So inconspicuously I might add?"

"I don't have to tell you anything," Violet hedged, glaring at him. Her good hand met the edge of the balcony as she stood, backing away as far as she possibly could. The rough stone was cold under her skin. _Avery_, she thought, hoping her Gardevoir could hear her. _Avery, bring me back. It doesn't have to_-

"You see, I think that's a lie," Tero said, closing the distance between them in a few strides. He twisted her arm again, so that she was leaning over the balcony, the edge digging against her back. She had never felt pain like that before. All thought fled. "You do not look like a girl who has a plan. I think," he said quietly, leaning in to speak closer to her ear, "-that you are very much in trouble. Tell me if I'm wrong."

He wasn't. But Violet would die before she admitted that. She met his eyes with fire, not backing down. He released her arm, and relief made her heart stutter. The anger she was expecting did not come. He laughed low instead, brushing dirt off her cheekbone with his thumb. "You're breakable," he mused. "Softer than I was expecting."

"You are twice as creepy as I was led to believe," Violet said, her voice scratched, stung when he did not hurt her more as she had been expecting. "And you smell funny!" she threw in, because she did not know what else to say. She didn't even know if it were true, but Tero took a step back, frowning.

"You are aware," he checked, "that I am likely going to kill you."

"I think you've got that backwards," Violet said quietly, standing up straight. She didn't know what she looked like, with the sunlight behind her, and the fire in her eyes. She hoped it was scary. "You don't know who I am. But I'm the girl who is going to stop you. Count on it."

"Stop me," Tero verified, his eyes quietly amused. "Not kill, I can't help but notice. Are you not prepared to go that far? Do you think you can really _stop_ me with an attitude like that? I'm willing to kill for my own cause. You can't hope to stand on equal ground with me with such a weak will, and such fragile ideals."

"I won't kill you," Violet said simply. "Because that would betray my own soul. I would never stand on equal ground with you. I would die before I let myself turn into a monster who can only _hurt_ people!"

"You don't understand it yet," he said, pity touching his eyes. "Hurt doesn't matter. Neither do lives. They are without value, in anyone, or anything. I am not a monster, merely a realist." He raised his hands, as if to show they were empty and clean. Violet did not know what to say to such reckless dispassion. Her broken arm had settled into a deep burning, rather than stabbing pains, but it shook without her permission, cradled in her good arm. He noticed.

"Sit down," he instructed, raising an eyebrow. "Or you're going to go into shock. And try not to make any more rousing speeches for a few minutes. I really don't care about them anyhow." He turned, and went inside the castle, leaving the door open. Violet gaped, thrown for a loop at his apparent concern and his sudden exit.

She stepped inside, not knowing what else to do. She breathed a quiet sigh of relief, when the room was normal, and not some kind of lab. Red carpets cushioned the stone floor, and brightly colored tapestries hung on the walls, telling a story in intricately woven stitches. A fire burned in the hearth, fed by a tiny Cyndaquil who stoked the flames. Comfortable looking arm chairs surrounded a low table, carved in dark wood in the center of the room.

Tero locked the rooms only other exit, placing the ornate bronze key into his pocket. She was still standing, somewhat awkwardly, in the doorway when he turned. "Sit," he said again, walking over to a cabinet as he did. "I'm not going to bite. That Cyndaquil might however."

Options raced through her mind for some kind of counterattack, but in the end, Violet did sit on the very edge of one of the cushy chairs, shooting wary glances at the Cyndaquil. The King of Fire sat across from her, setting a box on the table between them.

"I would set your arm," he explained, as though it were a courtesy he would normally offer a guest. "I can't have you passing out just yet however. Let's assume you're telling the truth, and can leave right now if you so desired. Why don't you?"

"I'm here to find something." Apparently. "Information," she guessed, trying to think back on what might have made Avery so upset. What had she done? And would her partner bring her back if she was in real trouble? The answer didn't come as easily as she liked.

Tero nodded, as if expecting this. "In which case, I propose a trade. Answers for answers. If you answer honestly, you can have the items in this box, one by one, as the game goes on, and you can ask questions of your own. Anything at all. Does that sound fair?"

"No," Violet said honestly. "I don't even know what's in the box. It could be eyeballs for all I know."

He opened the wooden box without a word, selecting a Poke ball from it. He held it out, pressing it into her good hand. "One of Indigo's remaining Pokemon," he explained. "Although I warn you, she's not in the best shape. I wouldn't suggest trying to battle me with her. But now she is yours. Do you understand the game now?"

They were still alive. Violet's mind whirled. And she could get them back to him.

All it would cost her was answers. She might even learn a little from this.

"So, what," Violet said, trying to wrap her mind around that. "We just...talk? We sit down, and have a conversation in a comfy room? That's..."

"Why not?" Tero shrugged. "We could learn each others motives in the midst of an awe inspiring battle, but isn't that way exhausting? This is easier on everyone. You've announced your intention to stay, and claim to have a way to leave, which may or may not be correct. I am willing to wait to test that theory, in the interest of accumulating knowledge. If I'm wrong, I'll have learned something. And you'll have saved Indigo's Pokemon. It's a good scenario for us both."

"I think I'd rather just punch you in the face," Violet said plaintively, wishing that was an option. She took a deep breath. "I'll play," she said, hoped she wasn't making a horrible mistake. _But it was for Indigo_. "What do you want to know?"

"Let's start off simple, shall we?" Tero smiled, his black eyes triumphant. "What is your relationship with Indigo Nightwalker?"

She narrowed her eyes, trying to find the trap in that question. "He's my friend," Violet said. "My best friend," she added on as an afterthought. "And a good person."

"Is that so?" Tero asked, his eyebrows shooting up. "A good person? We are speaking of the same Indigo, aren't we?"

"Yes," Violet growled, a little miffed. "He's not like how he was. Indigo has changed."

"People don't really change," Tero sneered. "That boy is a monster. You're a fool to believe that could ever go away."

"It has!" Violet said indignantly. "Indigo changed, because-"

She closed her mouth harshly, glaring at the King. His expression shifted to a mocking smile, but he did not say anything.

It had been so close. She couldn't give out any more information than she had to. Not to this man.

She took in his dark hair and predatory eyes, the air of ease he gave off, and his deceptively graceful hands. This man was dangerous. She could feel it, in the instinctive fear she had at every second she sat in his presence, in the way her heart sped up every time he moved. He had broken Indigo. He could do the same to her.

But not to them both. Not together.

"My turn," Violet breathed, sitting a little more comfortably in her chair, now that she wasn't planning on making a run for it. "What is your greatest fear?"

"Going straight for the weaknesses," Tero mused, sitting back as he crossed his legs. "That almost doesn't seem fair."

Violet waited.

"My greatest fear is death," Tero said finally, almost flippantly. Her mouth must have dropped open, because he elaborated. "I fear the power of death to bring about change, in revolutions, individuals, and minds. It can unmake a man, and alter who he is, more than any other force on this earth save love. I don't fear dying, of course. Although nothingness itself sounds utterly boring. I'm not sure I could live with it myself."

Violet laughed, surprising herself. She cut it off quickly, pressing her lips together. The King looked amused. He handed her another Poke ball silently. She took it quickly, as though afraid he would snatch it away.

"Alright then, Violet," he chuckled, clasping his hands together as he leaned forward. "Where did you come from?"

Her mind went blank. "Um," she said, thrown for a loop. "You _do_ know about the Combee's and the Pidgey...right?" she checked.

Hie black glare was unamused. "Where did you grow up?" he clarified. "It was not here, obviously, and wherever _you_ were was where Indigo was as well. I have my theories, but I'd like to hear what you have to say."

This was it. The one question she could not answer. Her mind formed a lie in an instant, a story about coming from over the mountains in _this_ time, and saving the life of a wounded boy who was teleported to the town square as the sun set. She opened her mouth to tell that story, but his piercing gaze stopped her in her tracks.

She had the sudden, horrible feeling that if she lied to this man, someone would die for it. She closed her purple eyes instead, taking a shuddering breath. "I can't tell you," she admitted. "Layla Crie's Ninetales promised lives would be lost if I did."

He barked a laugh at that. "So you are not from this country," he summed up. "If you were from the west, there would be no harm in telling me. You are from neither, and yet had to have come from somewhere. You fight with powerful Pokemon, and carry advanced technology. You were with Indigo for at least part of the time he was gone, and yet Indigo should have died. The town burned, and he could not have escaped with those wounds. I had soldiers sweeping the area for _days_, and they found no trace of him. And when Indigo answered that same question...he mentioned not the _place_ he was...but the _time_."

She stared at him with an ashen face, eyes wide and frozen, not daring any expression in case she gave something away. Tero stared at her disdainfully before standing abruptly, his movements harsh. He paced to the fire burning in the corner, turning his back on her.

"You answered honestly," he said at last, although his voice was strained. "But it is not possible. Ask your question."

Her arm burned, but the rest of her was cold. Violet tried to suppress the shuddering in her limbs, leaning back into her chair with a sigh, now that he was not looking. She thought about it for a long time, punctuated only by the crackling of the fire, and the occasional burst of flame from the Cyndaquil. "I guess I want to know why," she said at last, not opening her eyes. "Why do any of this? Take over the country, keep Entei captive, kill-" she couldn't finish that sentence. She bit her lip, and waited.

"You already know what Indigo told you about the matter," he checked, at last, turning towards her again. "The spiel about revenge, that is."

"Yeah," Violet said, nodding for emphasis. "Revenge against Riza's father, who killed your parents. They were the rightful rulers, but he burned them in their sleep. Layla fought on your side, trying to restore you and your sister to the throne. But she failed, and your sister died. You were in exile for years, before infiltrating the country under an alias."

"Doctor Camellia," Tero chuckled, the firelight making shadows dance across his features. "He had been known to change his appearance. The old King never really met him either. It was too perfect, really. But revenge isn't the real answer. I finished that ages ago."

Violet sat up slowly, at attention. "There's more?" she asked, wondering why she had never even considered that before.

"Not that I'm going to tell you," he assured her. "You didn't answer my last question. Fair is fair. Why are you fighting against me? And please, don't tell me it's just to avenge Indigo. I'm hoping you're not that utterly boring."

She gaped, for several reasons. "That...but...you..." she broke off, glaring at him. "Of course I have another reason! A very good one too."

He returned to his seat, waiting expectantly. And all the reasons she was fighting against him fled from her mind. She wondered if he had psychic memory powers, or if she was more disoriented than she had originally thought.

"I'm trying to save the world," Violet realized, as the words to one of the freakishly many prophecies reentered her brain. "Nature is out of balance because of the warring between the legendaries. If it isn't stopped..."

"Ho-oh will appear, and destroy the beasts, cleansing the land with fire," Tero said quietly, his eyes meeting hers intently. "Halladen would be destroyed utterly. And that's the best case scenario. If the damage is too great, Ho-oh will burn the world to ashes, and it will begin again."

"You...already know?" Violet said, struggling to wrap her mind around the concept. "But you imprisoned Entei. You set it against Raikou when Riza brought it to the castle. You-"

And suddenly, lots of things started setting themselves into place. "You want it to happen," she finished in a small voice.

"Not entirely correct," Tero admitted, shrugging as though talk of destroying the world was normal. "But in essence, yes. That was your third question. My turn next."

He handed her a third Poke ball, which she balanced precariously in her non broken arm with the others. He sat back down, toying with the fourth and final Poke ball. Violet was still, shaking with the implications, the dull throbbing of her arm, and the tiredness that had fallen over her at some point in the conversation. She didn't know what to say. He made her wait for his last question, as though choosing carefully how best to word it.

"If I were going to turn you to my side," he began, and she could taste the danger in the air, "What would be the best way to do so?"

"I would never," Violet said quietly, her voice burning with anger. "I would absolutely never."

"Come now," Tero said patiently, toying with the sphere in his hands. "Give it some thought. You would be incredible fighting for me. I could even give you some abilities of your own..."

Nausea curled in her stomach, and it was all Violet could do not to be sick on his fancy carpet. She stood, pain making her wobbly, her eyes flashing. "I would rather _die_," she said passionately. To her annoyance he laughed at that.

"Not much for self-preservation," he observed. "In this case, I'd call that almost heroic. And if I had incentive? Work for me, or I'll kill one little girl every twelve hours until you do so. Sit down, or you're going to fall," he added on, with annoyance.

"You just don't understand it," Violet said, horrified beyond snappy comebacks. "Hurt. You can cause it without blinking an eye. Don't you know what it _does_ to people? How it breaks them, little by little?"

"I am well aware," Tero said dryly. "It's my thing, remember? I know what it does, and I simply do not care. A child every four hours. I'll have to set an alarm."

"It would take the end of the world!" Violet all but shouted, her voice cracking.

"I believe I can arrange that," Tero said, his mouth quirking up like it was some kind of joke. She wanted so badly to punch him in the mouth that she shook with anger.

"This is my last question," Violet said, burning up with fury. "Are you ready for this? Me and Indigo...we are the colors who will take you down. For every person you've killed, every life you've destroyed...and for every single life, human and Pokemon, on this planet. We will destroy you. It's what we were made to do. And we will not fail."

As she spoke, the light of teleportation began its swirl around her body, making her glow. Tero had the strangest look on his face.

"Did you say 'the colors'?" he asked, as though something entirely new had occurred to him. "Violet...and Indigo. You are-"

She fell to her knees in the grass, gasping. Her eyes widened, and she dropped the Poke balls cradled in her arm frantically, counting them in the grass.

Only three. She had only gotten three. She stared, as though they might change, might reveal the unknown final partner of Indigo's. But they stayed the same number.

Tero was going to destroy the world.

"_See?_" Avery whispered into her mind. She was standing a few feet away, her eyes filled with horrible sadness. And finally, Violet did.

"You saw what he was," she said quietly, standing up. "And it became a part of you. His darkness is yours now, and you don't know what to do with it. He wants to destroy the world. But you want me to stop it. Because if I can..."

If she could, then Avery could be saved. If she could beat Tero, beat his darkness, then Avery could too.

She was leaving it Violet's hands.

"Breaking people's arms is not nice," Violet said sternly, wishing it didn't sound so utterly ridiculous and obvious. "But...I forgive you. We'll stop him together. Your destiny isn't decided by this. You can still choose, Avery. I'm here to help. You're my friend, and there isn't anything you can do that will change that. Nothing."

"_Indigo_," Avery insisted, the word echoing with music into her mind. Violet decided she liked her Gardevoir's new ability. With greater psychic power came some cool perks.

And then, the implications of that word sank in. "Oh _crap_," Violet breathed. "I have to tell Indigo. How on earth am I going to do that?"

Avery shrugged, and started removing blood from her dress with her mind.

~o~

"You slipped on a Miltank pie and broke your arm," Indigo deadpanned. "And had a _psychic vision_ that the king was planning to annihilate the earth. Am I missing anything?"

"Not a thing," Violet said glumly. "Oh! No...wait, you're right."

"Were there flying donuts in this scenario as well?" he said drily, resisting the urge to growl, or do something else not human.

"I wish. That would have been amazing."

"Violet, be serious," Indigo complained. "What happened? And where are you getting all these weird theories from? I would accuse you of watching too much TV, but seeing as it won't be invented for a few centuries..."

He was trying very hard not to hover. It was almost a physical impossibility. She insisted she was fine, and that it didn't hurt anymore, but...

"I just thought it might be something to consider," Violet said archly. "If he _is_ in on it, then the whole Entei enslavement thing makes a while lot more sense."

"I suppose," Indigo relented, a little begrudgingly. Something was off. She was hiding something from him. What on earth would she do that for? "You can't battle like that," he said, putting the matter aside for now. "Let's have Kaya take a look."

"I don't understand," Riza said quietly, as they turned away. "Why is a psychic vision abnormal? Violet _is_..." she broke off, narrowing her eyes, as though just figuring something out. "You told her my middle name?" she demanded, affronted.

A horrible realization hit Indigo, as he remembered the various embarrassing things he'd told Violet about her, never imagining he would get in trouble for them. "Violet is psychic," he said hurriedly. "Very psychic. She makes other kicks look sad."

Riza smacked him on the arm, growling under her breath as she stalked away. Indigo rubbed his forming bruise with a wince, wondering why she could growl and get away with it.

Kaya came, finally, and gave him a glare that could freeze ice. "Get out," she demanded. He made haste to obey.

He tried not to hear, when Kaya set her arm, but even his human ears could pick up her shriek. He went over her story in his mind again, trying to pick out the truth. She'd only been gone an hour or so...

"Sparks is better than ever," Riza said, sitting next to him against the side of the house. "I've never met a stronger Jolteon. Ok, he's the only Jolteon I've met. He's still amazing."

"Thank you," Indigo responded automatically. He sighed, running a hand through his too long hair. He wondered if scissors were as good in this time as they had been in the future, and found he could not remember.

"Worried?" Riza guessed, a little drily.

"She's always getting _hurt_," Indigo said finally, his exasperation leaking into his tone. "She claims she can handle things, but she always seems to pay with her blood. It absolutely kills me, every time, but I know it won't be the last. She's brave, and dependable, but she has a habit of getting into impossible situations, whenever I'm not there to protect her."

"Sounds tough," Riza said after a while. "She should wear a leash."

"As though she'd ever allow that," Indigo sighed, almost wistful. "I cannot be there for her at all times. I turn my back for an instant, and she's getting kidnapped, or enraging supervillians. Perhaps it would have been better had she stayed behind."

Riza laughed at him, to his sudden irritation. "You think that would have been better?" she repeated, eyes dancing. "And tell me, did she ever get into tough situations in the future? Violet would stand up for what she believed in, no matter the time, remember? This way, you can keep an eye on her _some_ times at least. We both can."

"She did once challenge a powerful, psychopathic super-ghost to a death match in the future once," Indigo allowed. "Twice, actually."

"And if she had stayed, she might have gone for three," Riza pointed out. "But she wouldn't have had you to nag her about it."

She was right. And he did feel a little better. "Thanks," he said quietly. "I needed..." he broke off, not knowing just how to say it."

"If you want," Riza said, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I can teach her some street fighting skills. Violet can kick butt."

"Maybe we can just do the leash thing," Indigo said hurriedly, wincing. And Riza laughed at him some more.

"There you are," Kaya snapped, stalking out of the house. "The girl will be fine, thanks to that Blissey Song. Her arm will be sore for a few days, but the bone itself is stitched back together. I healed your Pokemon while I was at it. They need rest, but they'll make a full recovery."

"No, Sparks has been with-" Indigo's sentence was cut off as Kaya dumped three dull spheres into his hands unceremoniously.

And he stared.

"Those are...but where is Greenly?" Riza asked, leaning in for a better look.

"She didn't have these before," Indigo said, thinking numbly out loud. "Or she would have given them to me with Sparks. I left them behind. In Halladen castle."

"Violet should rest for the day" Kaya said, ignoring him entirely. "That break was bad. She should have passed out when I set it. Whoever broke the bone was not careful about keeping it clean."

"How do you know someone broke it?" Riza asked, cocking her head to the side. Kaya shook her head in annoyance, not deigning to answer, walking away.

And Indigo was on his feet, almost running for the shed.

He almost ran into Violet as she was coming out.

"Careful," Violet said, laughing at him. "Have you seen Kaya? She must have picked up some things I set down."

Indigo just stared at her, unable to think of the words to say. She looked a little confused, but brightened quickly. "Look! All better," Violet grinned, holding up her arm. "Recovery sucks. My arm was broken for like, an hour and a half! I don't know how people do it for months..."

"You were at the castle," Indigo said quietly. "You left me behind, and went to face Tero alone." He couldn't seem to put the feeling he had into words. Betrayal was close, but confusion and hurt warred with disbelief as well. He watched as surprise flitted across her face. If he hadn't been looking, he might not have seen the flash of guilt in her eyes.

"I don't believe this," Indigo said, backing up slowly. "Why would you..._how_ did you..."

"Avery," Violet said, a little too quickly, and he turned a glare on her that could melt steel. "I...I asked her to."

"I don't believe that," Indigo snarled, lashing out with anger. "Why? Why would she...would you do that? It was stupid! Practically suicidal! He's a _monster_, Vie!"

"I know that!" Violet shouted back, anger glinting in her eyes. "Do you think I would just _go_, just like that? I would never-"

"That is what you did, isn't it?" Indigo demanded, too furious for reason. "And he _broke your arm_. You can't handle an enemy like him, Vie, you just _can't_."

"I can!" she retorted, clearly stung. "He didn't do anything! We just talked, that's all."

"He didn't..." and Indigo knew, in a heartbeat. "He didn't break your arm," he realized slowly. "Avery did. _Avery_ hurt you."

"Indigo-" Violet tried to say, but he cut her off, his head snapping up.

"You went to Tero...to try and figure out what happened to _her_. You put your life in danger, for a creature who cannot be turned to the light. You went to _him_, rather than coming to me..."

"You've got it all wrong," Violet insisted, her voice cracking with anger. "That isn't...I wouldn't-"

Indigo remembered the psychotic gleam in her eyes, the delighted laughter with which she'd torn apart those people. He'd left it to Violet to snap Avery back to normal. But maybe that wasn't possible. Maybe Avery was too far gone, and Violet could not see it.

He had told Avery she could not be a monster while Violet lived. And all at once, he was terrified that was true. He was terrified that Sabrina had been right, that Nivalis had seen truth, and he could lose her forever. All because she was too kind to make this decision.

"I know one thing," Indigo said, ever so quietly. Violet fell silent, and Indigo had never felt so betrayed, never known his heart could twist like that. "You can't control her. Avery is going to hurt you. She might even kill you. I can't...I could _never_ allow that. No matter the cost."

She would hate him for this. She would never forgive him, not in a thousand years, but she would be alive. Maybe it would be better, he tried to convince himself. She would go to the future alone, willingly, and never look back. She would hate him, and live. _Maybe it would be better_.

"What are you saying?" Violet said numbly, her eyes wide, and without understanding. He met her gaze evenly until it hit her like a bullet.

"You can't," she said numbly, as though her voice wasn't connected to the rest of her. He kept staring, his eyes as hard as stone. "I won't let you. You know that."

"I do," Indigo admitted, and his heart felt like it would shatter with the words. "I know, Vie. But I care about you far more than I do for her. This is too dangerous. She can't be trusted anymore. Maybe she never could."

"This isn't right!" Violet shouted, desperately. "We aren't supposed to fight like this! I believe in Avery!"

Silence stretched long, as they faced off, neither backing down. He realized that Riza had joined them at some point, silently. He felt like he was watching a play, and that the person who spoke the next words could not be him, could _never_ be him. Indigo unscrewed the top of Aneka's Poke ball, and his Mismagius broke into the air, breathing deep with surprise as she sensed the emotions around her.

"I wish I could too," Indigo said quietly. And Aneka dove for the Poke ball that had made its way into Violet's hands as they spoke. An icy wind blasted against his skin, and when it cleared, Violet's Froslass was blocking the way with a shield of ice, her amber eyes promising death.

"_You will yield_," she hissed, and the air temperature plummeted. A black aura came off of Aneka like mist as she met the other ghosts glare with fury, not backing down. Violet seemed to be going into shock, staring at the stand off with a dazed expression on her face.

"Whoever wins will decide her fate," Indigo summed up, forcing his agony at the words down, forcing himself to be strong. Because it was for her, because she could never make this choice by herself. "Does that sound accurate?"

She spoke, coming out from her trance-like state. "I won't lose Indigo," she said, and the lost tone in her voice broke his heart like shards of glass. "I can't. I won't hold back anything at all."

"I would expect nothing less," Indigo responded evenly, as his entire world shattered around him.

The ghosts broke apart, and their battle began.

~o~

**A/N** Hey. So. I'm really sorry. College is eating my life like donuts right now. But look! A chapter!

Originally, the battle was part of this chapter. But it was too long, and too heartbreaking, so I split it to be a part of the next one. It's a little emotionally destroying to even _consider,_ so be warned.

So ignoring that last section, this chapter was fun to write. I got to explore some different characters more in depth, and Riza is becoming a little more cemented into the main story line. As I've learned more about writing from this story, I've also discovered new ways to make things awesome. Which means better writing, better plotlines, and unfortunately, longer waits. I can only apologize, and finish the next one before midterm testing steals my time.

For the record, I've seen worse cliffhangers. Three. Maybe. Gah, sorry! OTL


	33. Colors Burn

**A/N: Just a heads up. This document was corrupted, and most of the data lost. I was able to salvage a little, and rewrite it from there, but all the punctuation was deleted. I think I got it all fixed. But...if there are random parenthesis, don't hate me! I'll post a little more about that at real the A/N. And I don't own Pokemon. Still.  
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**~o~**

~o~

_I see the future, and the one who will bring about chaos._

This wasn't right. They weren't supposed to fight, not like this! They were Indigo and Violet. Together there wasn't anything they couldn't do.

But alone, she was just the girl whose starter was a Magikarp, with big dreams and a dark past. Indigo had been her strength. They had grown stronger _together_, and it was how they had always stood. No matter what.

This stranger with Indigo's soul knew that as well as she did. And he was willing to sacrifice her trust in him, and the very friendship that had brought them both up from the ashes, for this single cause. Indigo would burn himself alive to keep her safe.

"You idiot," Violet whispered with faint realization. "You blind _idiot_."

If she lost, Avery would die. If she won...then Violet herself would die. She knew it like it was etched into her bones. No matter how this battle turned out, she would die, and be something else. Something not Violet. It was already happening. She could feel it, as her mouth moved, giving orders to her Froslass, could hear it in the screaming of icy winds. Violet was breaking at the seams, and something new was underneath, something hard like steel. It reminded her of Sabrina's eyes.

_She will break minds and shatter souls, and none will be able to stop her, only slow her down. _

"Lassie, use Shadow Ball straight up!" she shouted furiously, missing Indigo's Mismagius entirely. "Now, Thunderbolt!"

Froslass raised her hands, calling lightning down from gathering clouds above, ignoring the Mismagius that surged forward, a Shadow Ball of her own held in front of bared teeth.

Lightning tore from the sky, streaking towards the kimono-clad arms of the Froslass, carrying the Shadow Ball from before, dark and boiling with electricity and death.

The twin attacks struck Indigo's Mismagius an instant before she would have reached the Froslass, slamming her into the ground like a meteor. Her shadow attack spun uselessly off to the side as she screamed with pain.

Violet heard it, but felt no regret. "Blizzard, Lassie!" she howled, so furious her heart cried out for blood.

_Colors will fight and the winner will determine the fate of the child._

Froslass inhaled warm air, and exhaled a frigid gale of arctic wind. It shattered on the ground in all directions, casting shining crystals of ice across the entire battlefield. Aneka melted into the shadows on the ground in the nick of time, her eyes screwed up tight.

"The next blow will finish it," Violet predicted grimly, her eyes hard.

"Aneka will not fall so easily," Indigo swore, a flicker of pride flashing through his eyes despite himself. "She will drink Avery's blood before this day is through. Of that I can promise!"

"Don't make promises you can't keep!" Violet shouted, furious tears pricking at her amethyst eyes. "Lassie, Ice Beam! Aim at _Indigo!_"

Aneka melted out of the frost bitten ground in a flash. Eerie green fire burst into light around her, hovering in little spheres that gave off a gentle glow. The air turned purple abruptly, as a powerful wind picked up the foxfire spheres with a rising shriek. The Ice Beam _melted_ as the spheres tore past, and Lassie's shriek matched the tone of the Ominous Wind as she was blown back, into the sky.

"Shadow Ball," Indigo commanded, his voice biting. "Finish this now!"

"Thunderbolt Lassie!" Violet countered bitingly. "We cannot lose!"

"Stop this immediately!" Riza shouted with fury, darkness flooding her eyes as she stepped to the middle of their battlefield. Her pale hands were outstretched towards each ghost, as though binding them. Aneka and Lassie struggled furiously, as though bound by chains. "I do not know the story behind this Gardevoir, or why this fight even started. But it _ends_ here, with me. Is that clear enough for you both?"

"Move, Riza," Indigo said, deadly quiet. "This has to happen. It was always _meant_ to happen."

"I care not for your 'destiny'," Riza returned calmly. "We are trying to win a war. And I will not see either of you destroy yourselves before the battle begins in earnest. Whatever this is about is unimportant compared to that truth."

_-and finally...I see her killing the one who will save the land. _

Fire burst from the second story window of the stone house in a torrent, spraying shattered glass over all of them. Riza's head spun, her concentration breaking for a split second.

With a cry of triumph, the ghosts released their attacks, freed from Riza's iron control. Lightning and shadow spun towards each other.

With the Princess in the middle. Her eyes went wide as she bound the ghosts again, an instant too late. Somewhere, Violet heard Indigo's shout, but her hand was already moving, releasing Avery from confinement.

The Gardevoir materialized behind Violet, and snarled a song note that was as savage as it was beautiful. And in a snap, the scene disappeared entirely, just as the lightning reflected in Riza's lilac eyes.

The attacks connected, but the Princess was gone. To be more accurate, _they_ had gone. Violet and Indigo stood alone, their ghosts hovering in the clear air above an endless plain. Waving grass surrounded them for miles. Neither of them moved for an instant, frozen in place.

Avery smirked, closing her eyes as she returned to her Moon ball, her Teleportation successful. Riza was safe. And nobody would interrupt them out here.

"That does not change anything," Indigo said finally, his voice strained.

"I guess not," Violet whispered.

"She will _kill_ you, Violet," Indigo said angrily, desperation leaking into his tone. "Can't you understand?"

"Froslass," Violet said quietly by way of response. "End this. We cannot lose here."

"_With pleasure."_

A hurricane of swirling snow erupted around their battlefield, dropping the temperature by scores. Frost clung to the ends of Violet's black hair, whipping it around her pale, determined face. "Indigo," she said, her voice pained. "This isn't your decision to make. Can't you trust me? If not Avery...can't you believe in me?"

She had nothing else to say that he hadn't heard before, no other plea than for him to trust all they had been through together. She placed every hope she had in that question, like a child putting their heart on the line for the very first time.

Indigo took a ragged breath, as though her words had struck an old hurt. His words struck with a finality. "Not this time, Violet." And for the first time, their battle felt real. She could tell by the broken place her heart had been once. She held back her sudden sob,because it felt like everything was ending.

"Shadow Ball, Lassie!" Violet shouted, her tears freezing in the swirling air. Spheres the colors of midnight broke free from the blizzard wall, plummeting towards Aneka from every direction imaginable. She cried out as she took hit after hit, thrown from one end of the field to another in quick succession as.

"Not so easily," Indigo growled, his icy blue eyes going hard. "Aneka, Dark Pulse!" Power exploded from the ghosts body in a shock wave, tearing through the blizzard wall, and throwing a very surprised Froslass through the air like a comet, trailing snow and diamond dust. Mismagius burst from the falling cloud of white, a Shadow Ball lurching into form in front of her bared almost fangs as she pursued her falling opponent. Aneka was weakened, actually fading from the tips of her astral body, but still she pressed forward, the gems at her throat shining malevolently crimson.

She was feeding off of Froslass's pain, Violet realized with a sickened lurch. The more damage she did, the more she could _heal_. "I call cheat-tery!" she complained, her brain going into overdrive. "Lassie, Destiny Bond!"

Purple chains exploded from Lassie's dainty white hands, dusted with dull ice. They spun towards Aneka like living snakes, pulsing with crimson ."_Got you, pet._" Froslass smirked, dark blood dripping from one golden eye.

"Good work keeping their attention, Aneka," Indigo said quietly. Violet's head snapped up with surprise.

Froslass screamed, as lightning roared through her body like it was made of water, completely ungrounded from her position in the air. She fell, hitting the frost covered grass with a thud, her chains bursting into shards before they ever touched the Mismagius. Sparks shrieked his triumph from the battlefield.

Indigo returned the sphere belonging to Sparks to his pocket, his _two_ Pokemon remaining on the field.

_Indigo was not playing fair._

"There aren't any rules in this battle," Indigo reminded her, returning his wounded Mismagius to her Poke ball for later. "Your move."

"Mr. Fin, I choose you!" Violet said, gritting her teeth as she recalled her fallen Froslass. "Use Fire Blast!"

It was a bad match up, and she knew it. Indigo narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out her play."Sparks, Thunder!"

"Follow up with Crunch!" Violet ordered without missing a beat. Gyarados struck out of the fire, crushing the Jolteon in its oversized jaws, ignoring the lightning that shattered across its scales.

High risk, high reward.

"Now Recover!" Violet shouted, as her Ditto turned into an Audino, healing itself with a green tinted song. Consternation flitted across his face, as though he knew he should have seen that coming.

Indigo's most powerful Pokemon didn't have to play it safe. She knew exactly what he was going to do next. "Transform into a Golem!" Lightning struck her Ditto almost immediately, blue tinted and wickedly forked. The Golem took the blow without flinching, raising its stubby rock arms as it roared.

If she used Transform, then Indigo would immediately use one of his high power special attacks. She wouldn't stand a chance. He would be expecting her to know that, which meant he would use something powerful that could still hit a Golem, and buy himself some time...

"Shadow Ball!" Indigo called, and Sparks bared his tiny fangs. He braced himself, but the kickback from the attack made him skid backwards in the dirt a few inches.

"Stay still!" Violet called, her heart racing as she waited. "Just...stay still-"

The attack struck, just in front of her Golem, throwing up dust. She couldn't see the Jolteon anymore, or Indigo.

Violet smiled.

"Earthquake," she ordered, and her Golem obeyed blindly, unable to see. If she was wrong, it would mean a hit, from several Shadow Ball attacks fired from the concealing dust.

But if she was right...

Sparks shrieked with pain, flying _out_ of the ground as the dust cleared, in obvious pain. He hit the ground in front of a stunned Indigo, completely unconscious.

"The Shadow Ball was never meant to hit," Violet explained quietly. "It just hid your Jolteon for a Dig attack, which would have been super effective against a Golem."

Indigo laughed, as if despite himself, and the sound made her flinch as though in pain. He shook his head, not saying a word, and selected another Poke ball from his belt.

"I choose you, Walter."

A goofy looking Quagsire erupted from its Poke Ball, grinning disconcertingly. "Walter!" it said proudly.

Violet fell instantly in love with the Quagsire. She pushed the feeling away, clearing her mind like Danny had taught her to, so many years ago. "Ditto, Transform!"

How would he have seen this battle? How would he feel, if he had known things would turn out like this? Violet shouted out orders, her hair whipping around her face in the wind from the various attacks, her eyes sharp and clear.

Would Daniel have let Sabrina kill Avery, if he had seen the vision himself?

If he had known what she was fated to do, would he have acted to save her still?

Somehow, Violet didn't think it would have changed anything.

_And if he had seen Avery hurting her?_

"Ditto, transform into a Dragonite!" Violet screamed over the roar of a combination Earthquake Surf combo Indigo had unleashed, thinking of Lance. Her Ditto burst into the air like a rocket, dodging the massive surging tidal wave by inches, spiraling up and swirling the air in stream lines around its wings. "Draco Meteor!" Violet shouted, her voice like a thunder clap. And the Dragonite raised its arms, bellowing low and clear.

"Walter, Blizzard!" Indigo shouted, matching her one for one.

Violet resisted the urge to snarl. Meteors slammed into the incoming wall of white, disappearing entirely. Ditto turned, flying quickly, straight upwards. The ice licked at its tail, gaining inch by inch despite the dragon gaining speed.

And then the white enveloped her Dragonite entirely. Violet shouted a warning, her voice cracking, but there was nothing at all she could do. She stared, her heart in her throat, as the cold faded, and the storm cleared.

A shadow fell, slamming into the ground in a massive burst of dust. And to Violet's horror, Layla Cries Quagsire was still standing, seemingly untouched.

Daniel would have protected Avery anyways, she thought, in a corner of her mind that spoke quietly. He had always believed fate could be broken. He would have believed in Avery, and kept Violet far away as a precaution. And he never would lose a battle to protect her.

A Lucario burst from the smoke where Dragonite had fallen, snarling in wordless fury. It struck the grinning Quagsire with a two handed Force Palm, the strike so powerful the ground broke beneath its feet, and the Quagsire was shot across the field, where it carved a furrow into the grass.

"Sabrina didn't give Avery a prophecy," Violet said quietly, taking advantage of the lull. "She gave her a curse. And those can be broken. Just like yours. If you can't see that, I will help her alone."

Indigo flinched harshly. He stared at her Ditto, with an unfathomable expression on his face, the light of her Ditto's Aura reflecting in his blue eyes.

Indigo didn't understand. Avery had been tortured by reading the mind of a psychopath, and she had tried to convey the danger anyways, despite fighting off the darkness that was threatening to drive her insane.

She'd fought so hard.

Violet couldn't let that be in vain.

She wouldn't let Avery fall prey to something as ridiculous as Fate.

"Aura Sphere!" she shouted, her eyes flashing with violet fire. She would not lose. Indigo would just have to live with that! "Finish him off!"

His Quagsire lurched to his feet, swaying slightly. He didn't look injured. If anything, he looked serious for the first time. Water roared from Walter's gaping mouth like a geyser. Violet's Ditto snarled in Indigo's old voice, firing an Aura Sphere that glowed like starlight.

And the Aura Sphere cut through the Surf like butter, carving furrows in the torrent of water as though it weren't there. It struck the Quagsire head on, and this time it shot back so quickly the sound break hurt her ears.

But Violet didn't trust her victory. "Dragon Pulse," she ordered, not missing a beat. "Don't let it get up!"

"Earthquake," Indigo shouted, the instant his Quagsire regained its footing, and Ditto was forced to leap into the air to attack, firing a howling blue whirlwind from its gaping mouth. The earth shook violently, missing her Pokemon. The Dragon Pulse struck the Quagsire, and finally, it seemed to feel it.

"Finish it with another Aura Sphere!" Violet said, victory flashing through her eyes. Her Lucario hit the ground, a sphere of cold ice blue swirling madly between its palms, and-

Its feet sank into the muddy earth. Violet's eyes went wide as the whole thing became clear in an instant.

The earthquake. The ground, soaked with the many water attacks already. It had all been for one moment, one instant when her Pokemon would be trapped by the sticky mud.

And she hadn't seen it coming.

"Check," Indigo said in that moment of realization, his eyes pained.

Her Ditto fired its Aura Sphere blindly, already struggling to get free. The Quagsire's eyes gleamed once through the smoky air. And a Hyper Beam hit her partner dead on with all the power of a dying sun.

She already knew, as the attack struck, was already angry, at Indigo, at his Pokemon, and even at herself for missing his strategy. She recalled her Ditto before it struck the ground, already reverted back to its pink, blob like form with pain.

Indigo did the same, as the homing Aura Sphere finally defeated Layla's starter, hitting it right between the eyes. For a moment, they just stared at each other. It didn't last long.

"Mr Fin-"

"Fluffy, I choose-"

Without either of them really noticing, a wind had picked up from the North, bringing clouds that darkened the sky as though it were dawn rather than afternoon. Thunder rumbled ominously, as though carrying a warning. Suicune regarded their battle with cold blue eyes, watching silently, and almost sadly. If either of them had looked to the side, they would have seen it. Neither did, too focused on the battle that was testing their friendship to its limits.

Rain started to patter down from the skies, cold drops that neither noticed.

It was like the world was crying.

Violet didn't know if either of them could really win. And as Mr. Fin fell, she couldn't remember ever feeling torn about this battle in the first place. It was always going to happen. Something had to break.

"Avery!" she shouted, releasing her final Pokemon. Her Gardevoir burst onto the field, and raindrops hissed out of existence inches before they ever touched her. Her eyes burned dark crimson. And for once since evolving, she was calm and collected, despite the quiet promise of death in her gaze. Something passed between Indigo and Avery in that moment, an unspoken understanding that Violet was not a part of.

"Slash," Indigo ordered, his voice grim, and the moment broke. His Ursaring roared, his claws growing to nearly a foot long, glowing with wicked light. Blood poured down from a scratch over its left eye, half blinding the monstrous Ursaring. It didn't seem to notice.

She took the Pokedex from her pocket, glancing at Avery's new moves. The picture on the screen was Daniels starter, Echo. Avery's mother, and Violet's friend.

"Can't you understand?" Indigo said quietly. She tried not to hear the pain in his voice, tried not to understand his side. She knew though, without even having to try. Indigo would never hurt her. Not unless he was trying to save her life.

"Psychic, Violet ordered, ignoring the stabbing pain in her heart. "Lift it into the sky."

No one else was going to die.

Avery's black psychic enveloped the Ursaring before it ever reached her, and its cries turned desperate as she lifted it nearly three stories up. The massive Pokemon slashed at the air, struggling furiously. But there was no target for it to hit. The psychic singed its fur with raw power, making rain hiss and steam on contact.

Not her, not Avery.

"Sorry," Violet whispered. She closed her eyes as Avery dropped the Ursaring. Her heart was still until the impact finally came, an eternity later. The thud made her feel numb. It was several long seconds before she heard Indigo return his partner, silently.

"You're certain then," he checked, weariness in his tone. "Absolutely certain?"

"I just don't want anyone to die!" Violet cried, traitor tears streaking her face. "Is that so wrong? I couldn't stand it if you, or Avery, or anyone got hurt! There's already been too much death."

Aneka was at a disadvantage, already wounded. Indigo stared at her Poke ball, weighing the decision. She wished he would hurry. Every moment their battle was at a standstill, her defenses shattered just a little bit more.

"Did Tero hurt you at all?" Indigo asked finally, looking up at her.

She nodded once, numbly, and Indigo closed his eyes, taking a ragged breath. He clenched his hand around Aneka's Poke ball. Before he could lift it, cold wind blasted around them both, as icy as winter and as clear as night.

Suicune stood calmly in front of Indigo, ready to battle.

"Oh," Violet breathed, her eyes going very wide. "That is so not fair."

"Are you sure?" Indigo demanded, as shocked as she was. "After everything I've done-"

Only the worthy even saw Suicune. Only the truly great ever battled with it.

Indigo already had a bond with Entei. But maybe that was only chance. Maybe this was something deeper.

The wind rose to a howl, low and deep, and Suicune reared back on its hind legs. Violet broke off, her mind snapping to attention. This was bad. This was very, very bad.

"Avery, get us out of here!" she shouted, fumbling for her Moon ball. This was a Legendary. Avery had just evolved, there was no way they could win this fight-

"_I will not_," Avery trilled, sounding amused. She raised her hand, creating barrier after barrier between herself and the Legend, blue tinted like glass. Violet's eyes went wide, and she remembered the last time she'd seen something just like this.

Suicune fired an Aurora Beam that hummed with the cold song of the North, shattering each barrier in turn.

If that hit her partner, she really could die.

Violet ran forward without thinking, driven by the single idea that she had to do _something_. Her arm stretched out to throw her partner out of harms way, but before her fingers even brushed Avery, she had disappeared into thin air, leaving Violet grasping at nothing.

Her Gardevoir reappeared behind Suicune, blasting it with a Thunderbolt. Violet saw all this from behind the final blue tinted barrier, before the Aurora Beam struck it.

Energy screamed as it grated against itself, the rainbow light melding together into a blast of white as it broke against the barrier like a stream of water. Violet threw her arm in front of her face on instinct, wind howling around her as the barrier cracked diagonally, the sound like breaking bone. The shattering blue wall disintegrated at the sides, as the cracks got wider, light gleaming out ever brighter between them.

The Aurora Beam ended suddenly, leaving Avery's barrier looking like a windshield after a crash. It disintegrated in a burst, the falling fragments shining like glitter.

Violet collapsed to her knees, breathing hard as she stared at the frosted furrow the Aurora Beam had carved into the earth in front of her. Avery reappeared in a flash, laughing convulsively. She looked down at her sideways, head tilted, her eyes gleaming wild and crimson. Violet couldn't help but remember what Avery had looked like covered in fresh blood. And for half an instant, she was afraid.

A black psychic caught her in an instant, making her heart leap. But Avery just set her on her feet, turning back to the battle field.

"You idiot," Indigo breathed, relief flashing in his eyes, which she tried not to see.

"Thunderbolt," Violet said, her voice shaking, as she regained her composure. "Make it a good one."

Avery raised her hands to the sky, lightning shrieking from the dark clouds above. Suicune leapt nimbly aside, dodging a second and a third consecutive strike cleanly.

If Suicune was fighting for Indigo, did that mean his cause was more just?'

"Bullcrap," Violet breathed, narrowing her eyes.'

How was she supposed to be the future Pokemon League Champion, if she couldn't even take out one Legendary anyways?

"Moonblast!" Violet shouted, as the Suicune threw back its head, summoning a storm of snow and ice with a howl, which blasted around Indigo like parting water. The Blizzard shrieked into the blast of pink light, fingers of cold reaching across its surface for any weakness. It found none, searching higher and higher, revealing the scope of the protective dome Avery had made out of her attack.

Finally the storm dissipated, and the improvised shield vanished as well. A blanket of snowflakes hung over the ravished field, as cold as the grave, hiding everything from view. An Ice Beam arced through the air wildly, like a hose on high pressure, and then vanished. Scuffling noises emerged from the mist, half muted. Violet would have seen all of this, had her eyes not been closed.

"Avery, clear the mist with a Thunderbolt!" Violet shouted, for Indigo's benefit.

"Get out of that fog, now!" came his hurried order, sounding lost and far away in the sudden stillness.'

Which might have worked, if Avery couldn't read minds now that she had evolved. Including Indigo's, and hers.

And Suicunes.

The instant Suicune bounded out of the mist, Avery was waiting for it, allowing Violet to see as well through a mind link. She caught it in a black veined psychic that did more than just outline the Legend, it blacked it out completely. The mist was pushed out by Avery in that same instant, revealing the captured Legendary , and the Gardevoir with a wicked smile.

Violet opened her eyes, and the link was severed. Indigo couldn't beat her. She had won.

"Don't do this," Indigo plead, and for that instant, the look on his face nearly broke her heart. "Violet, she'll kill you. I couldn't...I can't-"

She wanted to believe his sincerity. She wanted to trust her friend. But he would say anything if it would get her to drop her guard. And so she hardened her heart, making her words steely.

"Look around Indigo," she said, barely hearing her own voice. The words didn't sound like her own. They were too biting, too strong, to belong to the shy girl from Saffron City. "Avery isn't the one hurting me. She's protecting me from you."

"That isn't fair", Indigo growled, his glare turning icy. "You know what she is. You know how it could turn out. And yet you defend her anyways. Avery is a being defined by emotions. And after she saw Tero's mind...I don't believe anyone could stay sane after such a thing! She is a recipe for disaster and death!"

"It doesn't matter," Violet realized, feeling numb as the truth of it crashed down on her. "She is one of mine. I'll protect her to the death. Just like I would for you, Indigo. Even after this. After anything."

Suicune let out one last cry, and Avery let it drop to the ground, completely unconscious. Indigo slumped in the same breath, like all the fight had gone out of him. His hand, which had been unconsciously pressed to the wounded Aneka's poke ball, fell limply to his side. The thudding in Violet's chest got louder, a drum that pounded incessantly. It almost seemed to be shaking the earth itself. But then, her world was shaking.

With a jolt, she realized the beat was quivering up her legs as well, from the ground below. She whirled, an instant before Entei bounded into sight, roaring blood and rage with empty fire burning in its eyes. Its claws dug furrows in the earth wherever it touched. It seemed almost bigger somehow, than it had at Tero's castle.

Or maybe that was just because the Legend was standing this time, sparks shattering from its fur, like embers blown from a wildfire. Smoke billowed from the edges of its gaping jaws, and tongues of blood red flame. The beast surged forward, heavy limbs carrying it faster than she would have believed possible for a monster of its size.

It bounded towards Indigo's back, reaching him before he had turned completely. It hit his shoulder, and Indigo spun, hitting the ground hard. But the beast surged on, its empty eyes locked on the fallen Suicune.

She barely had time to scream out a warning before it struck Avery head on, tearing a bloody furrow in her scalp with one swipe of its heavy claws.

Avery forgot Suicune, snarling in as close an equivalent her beautiful voice could manage, black lightning crackling up and down her pale arms as she focused on Entei with fury in her wild red eyes. With a cry, she threw the Legend off, though it was clearly an effort. The ground cracked around her body as the beast was forcibly moved out of mauling distance.

Entei whipped its head around, glaring at Avery with fiery gleaming eyes, as though noticing her for the first time. Violet took an involuntary step back at the hatred in the Legends empty gaze. And then it lunged forward, wickedly fast.

"Teleport, Avery!" Violet shrieked, pure fear striking her heart. Suicune had been one thing. It fought calmly, with calculation and grace in every move. It was the wind, and could be diverted.

Entei was more like an exploding volcano. And all who stood in its path with would be scorched away with destroying rocks and ash. There was something else missing as well. Nowhere in the monsters eyes could she see intelligence, or a conscience.

"Avery?" Violet asked numbly, but her Gardevoir was as frozen as she was.

"Nothing," Avery whispered, her bell voice ashen, as blood streamed down the side of her face, over one closed eye. "There is nothing!"

"Snap out of it!" Violet half shouted, fear making her voice wild. "Teleport it away, and then lets get out of here!"

Her eyes went wide as she saw the glinting piece of metal in the thick fur of Entei's neck. Avery shrieked, her voice rising to a fever pitch as she hurled psychic energy at the Legendary beast. The metal gleamed with silver light, absorbing the black of Avery's power like a void."

"_There are items out there, that can stop a Pokemon from being teleported from battle , Daniel explained in her mind, as he had once done when they were children. "They're rare, and hard to come by, but they can really give an edge to a trainer fighting a Psychic. And when they're on, nothing in the area can teleport, not even the Psychic itself. They're dangerous, Vie, but only useful in a few select situations..." _

Avery pushed the Legend back with a Psychic, switching tactics quickly after her teleportation failed, breathing harshly.

Tero had learned from their last encounter.

There would be no easy way out this time.

And just as she thought that, the situation somehow, impossibly, got worse.

Howling split the air, emanating from hundreds of throats, low and mournful. A tide of black and grey seemed to pour over the landscape, and Violet realized she was looking at a pack of Mightyena, following in Entei's tracks. For a moment all she could do was stare. There were so _many_ of them.

Indigo was struggling to his feet, his good hand clamped over his shoulder, gritting his teeth. Her heart nearly missed a beat, so great was her relief that he was okay. He looked at her, his blue gaze frantic. She felt a stab of guilt for ever doubting that he wanted her to be alright, no matter how much of a jerk he had been being. "Run, Violet," he gasped, the words clearly an effort. "Get away. I'll hold them back!"

As if she would really leave him, after everything they'd faced together.

"Moonblast Avery!" Violet shouted, turning back to the battle. Her partner's eyes tightened with utter frustration, staring at the Legend as though she wanted nothing more than to tear it apart with her mind. But she turned to the side ever so slightly instead, cutting a massive swathe through the front ranks of the Mightyena horde with a blast of pink power, sending up a resulting chorus of howls and cries of pain. She repeated the move a second, and a third time, and the dogs fell like leaves, knocked out instantly by Avery's song.

"You never did listen," Indigo breathed harshly, laughing throatily. He straightened as best he could. "Aneka, distract Entei. Do _not_ get hit!"

The Legend roared with fury as the shadowy Mismagius darted around its head, slashing with elongated claws before dipping into darkness, only to reappear behind it. Entei blasted volcano hot fire in great bellows, always just a split second behind Indigo's ghost.

As the battle progressed, becoming ever more desperate, the two ended up side by side once more, shouting orders to their weakening partners. Violet used her three remaining Hyper Potions too quickly, leaving them with nothing. It never seemed to end. For every five Mightyena Avery took down, ten took their place, snapping with white fangs.

As they fought, things started to fall into place.

"This was a trap," Violet realized. "Tero released Entei purpose, knowing it would lead him straight to you."

"And, by extension, both you and possibly Riza," Indigo finished for her grimly. "That charm is a clever trick. It prevents teleportation?"

Violet nodded, electricity flowing through her veins as the battle raged. "If we ever get out of this, remind me to spend all my money on Revives."

"Instead of being prepared, you just had to buy nothing but donuts!" Indigo griped, shooting her a glare. "If we die because you couldn't control your sweet tooth, I swear I'm never going to let it go!"

"They were delicious!" Violet howled, as Avery cut down another section of the never ending Mightyena. "I regret _nothing_!"

But she couldn't deny that the situation was dire.

Finally, Avery's Moonblasts lost strength, and she broke off her assault, gasping. Her partner was not one to give up so easily. She raised her arms, raining lightning down on the dogs with every fiber of her being. Howls and singed fur rose up from the horde, but still they came. Indigo kicked a Mightyena across its jaw before it could leap for his throat, hissing as the movement jerked his shoulder. Teeth closed around her ankle, and Violet shrieked as she was dragged away from her partners side. His shout was lost in the guttural snarls of Mightyena's.

The beast worried at her ankle, and before she could so much as draw breath in for another scream, they were everywhere, nipping at her arms and legs, closing in on all sides of her. She struggled wildly, striking with flailing limbs. She heard a few surprised yelps of pain. Somewhere, Entei bellowed with triumph, and she knew Aneka had been taken down at last. And despite the futility of it, Violet shouted her defiance, hitting everything she could reach, despite the biting fangs that surrounded her.

A sharp whistle sounded, and the Mightyena stood back immediately, leaving Violet alone in a circle. Two pairs of boots met her eyes, as she struggled to sit, leaning on one arm. And she glared with all her fury, despite the sudden wash of cold that flooded her veins.

"We really must stop meeting like this, Princesa," Ren Darkstone mocked, his gaze somehow harder than it had been before.

"I disagree," Tero mused, regarding the fire in her eyes and the dirt on her pale cheek. "This is my favorite way to meet. Hello Violet."

Her fear disappeared, looking at the expression on that smug, superior face. It begged for punching. Her urge for bloodshed surprised her. He seemed to bring out a desire for physical violence inside everyone he spoke to.

He hadn't wasted any time at all since they'd spoken last. He must have put this into motion within minutes of her disappearance.'

She would never have seen such a quick response coming.

The battle that had knocked out the majority of her team was good luck.

Violet's hand found the knife that Riza had given her, in the few moments they'd spoken after her recent return. It felt heavy and unfamiliar in her hands. She didn't know what she was going to do with the unwieldy thing. She remembered her friends in that moment, everyone she'd left behind, and everything she'd gone through to get to this cold moment.

Ren was obviously surprised by her move, his eyebrows shooting up. "You can't be serious."

"She won't use it," Tero said, with a dry confidence that irked her immensely. "In fact, she'll come willingly."

Avery broke through the Mightyena, standing in front of her trainer. The blood on her skin was not her opponents, this time around. She was breathing heavily, staring with wild eyes at the impassive King.

"Recall your Gardevoir, and drop the knife," Tero ordered, seemingly un-threatened by this display. "And come with me. Ren will bind your hands to prevent any further attempt at escape."

She didn't speak, glaring at him wordlessly.

"Let me rephrase," Tero amended, after a pause. "Come with me without a fight, or Indigo dies immediately."

Lightning flashed, and Entei appeared at Tero's side, awesome in its raw power and terrifying majesty.

At its feet was her friend turned human, battered black and blue. He struggled to breathe, glaring at his oldest enemy with pure hatred in his eyes. He rasped when he spoke. "If you touch her, I'll kill you," he snarled. One of his ribs must have been broken, because he winced at the words.

Violet took in the situation in an instant, and despair hit her in the gut.

All the same, was there anything else she could really do?

"No, Violet!" Indigo shouted, furious as she dropped her knife, struggling to rise. Tero didn't so much as move. Entei pinned him back to the ground with one paw, making his pupils dilate with the pain.

They'd been battling him from a distance. Maybe she could attack from much closer than that. If she went with him, she could find that opportunity.

He read her plan easily with those dark eyes of his, the mask of assured victory never falling from his face.

"Return, Avery," Violet said numbly, and her Gardevoir disappeared in a flash. Indigo renewed his struggles, snarling incoherently. She dropped the Moon ball on the ground, and Ren stepped forward to bind her hands. The rope was rough and scratchy; it bit at her wrists as he pulled it too tight. When he backed away, Tero's expression glowed with cruel assurance. He stepped forward, leaning over to pick up the fallen Moon ball.

He studied the highly advanced technology for a moment, his expression giving away nothing. "Kill him," he said flatly, watching the expression on her face turn to horror.

"No!" Violet shrieked, lunging forward. Something hard struck the back of her head, and Violet remembered no more.

~o~

"No, Violet!" Indigo shouted despairingly, helpless anger in his voice. Her borrowed knife fell to the ground, and Tero's cruel features were triumphant. Indigo struggled, hating his weak limbs more with every passing second.

It had been like this often, since returning to his time.

Indigo fought like a demon, disregarding the agony in his ribs. It did not good whatsoever. He was trapped in a weak human body, and he could do nothing. As usual. He had been nothing but a burden to Violet since he had changed.

Funny how earlier that very day, he had spoken of his worries about Violet's strength to Riza. She was the strong one. She, in the least, could fight.

Which was more than he could say, bound by his human form. How he longed for the strength he had once possessed, for the ability to protect with his own power.

Once, he could have broken free easily. It would have been child's play . How he yearned for that power now!

He had learned the true meaning of strength, and abruptly lost his ability to fight.

How laughable, that he had once gloried in the power of his human body.

Indigo stared into the empty red eyes of Entei. What was it that Entei wanted of him? His death? Was that what it would take to free it, and set the world right again?

The Volcano fur had been a curse. He wished he had never touched it, never had the responsibility that came with such raw strength.

_The soul of the artifact remains alive, and burning. Inside of you, Indigo. Release it, and Entei will finally be freed of its influence. Release it, and you can free it from Tero's bondage. _

Layla had given him an answer. He just didn't know what it was.

Violet returned Avery, bartering for his life. He could not have her sacrifice on his hands.

And so, although all his instincts screamed against it, Indigo closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

There was a fire burning, somewhere inside of him. The sounds of the world faded away, and Indigo looked, searching the deepest parts of his soul. The pain was a distraction. It was only through the strength he'd learned in the future that he was able to tune it out. His breathing was a steady rhythm, one that was the same for a human boy as it had been for a Lucario.

He found the fire, and as soon as it was acknowledged, it engulfed him with cold flames that didn't burn. Indigo opened his eyes, and the world spun with silver and blue. Violet stood out like a beacon, shining like the sun, her fear clouding the light only slightly.

Indigo could see. He could _see_.

Tero was just as bright, but his soul was broken, like shattered glass held together by sheer force of will.

Entei was so faded it almost didn't exist. It was like a candle flame that barely clung to the wick, blue and starving.

"Kill him," Tero said flatly, turning his white blue eyes on Indigo, oblivious to his earth shattering revelation. Violet's denial tore his heart, and when Ren hit her from behind, his voice echoed with a snarl closer to a Lucario than he'd ever managed before as a human.

He clenched his fist, and his own Aura flared with his fury. Entei lifted its paw in utter surprise, backing away two steps almost warily. Indigo stood, and his hair fell into his face, too long as usual. He checked his hands quickly, but they were still human. He had not changed.

And yet the Aura was with him. At least in his eyes. It was enough.

When Ren moved, it was like he was in slow motion.

Indigo grabbed his wrist as the man punched with his left arm, twisting it sharply as he stepped to the side. It snapped with a crack, and he shrieked, falling to one knee as Indigo held it at an angle. He hit the back of the mans neck, at a point that shone just a tiny bit brighter than the rest of him. Ren fell like a stone, plummeting face first into the dirt.

And Indigo had never felt so alive. Aura pulsed through his veins, connecting him with the heartbeat of Halladen itself, electrifying and powerful. He hadn't realized what it had been like to be without this feeling until it was gone. It was a part of him, down to his very soul.

He had always assumed that Aura could only be seen by Lucario. He had been wrong. Perhaps he was not so useless as a human after all.

"The Aura is with me," Indigo said quietly, ignoring how utterly cheesy the words sounded out loud. He would decide on a real catch phrase later.

Tero began to laugh convulsively, throwing back his head. "This is simply too good!" he shouted to the sky. The Mightyena let out a chorus of agonized howls as they realized their leader had been defeated, and the sound was deafening. Indigo just stood, his eyes fixed on Tero alone with a wordless fury, as Aura whipped his hair and clothes as though by a wind that wasn't there. The whole world seemed to be still, as though it were holding its breath.

"Destroy him," Tero said, tasting the words as though they were made of blood. And as one the horde of Mightyena surged forward like a wave, with snapping jaws and furious eyes. They parted around Tero as though he weren't even there, recognizing him as their new Alpha without words.

He smiled cruelly as the Mightyena swarmed him. And then the King of Fire turned away, to pick up his fallen friend.

"You will not!" Indigo howled, Aura bursting out from his core, so strong it gave the wolves pause, in a ring around him. One dove forward after a tense moment, snapping at his right ankle, braver than the others had been.

Indigo moved like it had been rehearsed, planting his right foot more firmly as he twisted, kicking the Mightyena across the jaw with his left. He heard a satisfying 'crack', and the Mightyena dove back into the horde, whimpering. "Violet!" he shouted, his eyes seeing everything as Tero draped her limp form across his Charizard's back. Another Mightyena leapt at his back, and Indigo shifted to the side without looking, his right arm snapping out to hit it across the throat as it soared past him, stopping its progress cruelly in midair. It yelped, scrambling back quickly. He didn't have time for this!

Tero's coal black eyes burned with victory, through the filter of Aura. He turned away and threw his leg over his Charizards neck. Indigo ran forward, heedless of the Mightyena, shouting words he didn't even hear, as the massive armored Charizard snapped down its wings, the wind flattening the grass to the earth as it took off into the sky.

His last shout of denial was lost to the wind, as the warm Aura of Violet grew smaller and smaller in the sky.

And then the Mightyena were on him, all fear gone, as they slashed and snapped as one.

He tried to fight them off. But even with his Sight, his limbs were too slow to move as they once had, his instincts just a beat behind what he had known in the future. His agony distracted him from the physical pain, because this was everything he had feared come to reality.

Tero had Violet. And he almost certainly going to murder her.

And it was his _fault_.

Indigo stopped fighting, his arms falling to his sides. The shining blue in the ground flickered and faded, until he saw nothing more than a normal person could. He had failed. He had failed in every way possible. And suddenly he could no longer find the will to raise his arms to fight back. Indigo fell to his knees, his head dropping forward with utter defeat. Within moments jaws had clamped down on his upper arm, drawing the metallic smell of blood. Claws tore his shirt open, leaving bloody scrapes down his ribs. He could not find it in himself to care anymore. He was aware of fire somewhere close, as Entei attacked Mightyena in response to his self hatred, somewhere nearby.

He closed his eyes. And then there was nothing but pain.

Everything was over.

Cold air blasted against his skin, and Indigo cracked open his empty eyes. Suicune pushed its head under his arm. He grabbed a fistful of its purple mane on instinct, and Suicune bounded away, pulling him away from the Mightyena that had been killing him. It leapt almost on thin air, its paws barely touching the earth before it took off again, moving like a breath of wind. It was all Indigo could do to hold on with his wounds that first moment. Suicune seemed to realize this; it paused on the ground only once, until Indigo threw his leg over its back, using both battered hands to hold on. It took off again, and the frigid air stung his many wounds.

"Why?" Indigo gasped, through the haze of pain and loss. Suicune looked at him with one cold blue eye as it bounded away, finally breaking free of the sea of Mightyena. If he was looking for an answer, he found none in that icy gaze. Somewhere, Entei howled with fury, the sound getting smaller.

Indigo laid his head down on Suicune's mane, the fur surprisingly cold to the touch. It soothed his fevered skin. Slowly, he came back to reality, the light returning to his eyes. It was worse. He could feel the full force of his wounds, demanding attention. It distracted him from the aching hole in his chest.

It was a good thing though. He couldn't die just yet.

"Thank you," Indigo said quietly, in too many kinds of pain to be concerned with pride. He closed his eyes, letting the wind rush over him as the spark of anger lit in his heart once again. This time he would not hide. Tero would burn, a dark part of his mind swore quietly.

He would _burn_.

~o~

It was nearly nightfall by the time Suicune made it to the ebony walls of the town, moving far more sluggishly as its own wounds caught up. The Legendary made it to the garden before collapsing, throwing Indigo to the ground. He groaned, lifting himself to one elbow. He couldn't hold it. He fell back the ground, and wished someone would douse the fire of his wounds.

It was some time before he was able to move. The light faded as he sat up, his muscles screaming. He stood shakily, through willpower he hadn't known he had. Walking was easier. He held his more wounded arm with the other, breathing raggedly as he walked around the corner of the garden house. It looked like as though a bomb had struck. It was only then that Indigo remembered the burst of fire from before.

Fear made his stomach drop. It was far too quiet.

"Riza!" he shouted hoarsely, surveying the disaster with horror. The house was torn in two, a good half of it burned to the ground, leaving a gaping hole. An unmoving female form lay on the ground, half covered in rubble. "_Riza_!"

He lurched forward, limping as quickly as his shaking legs would allow. He fell to his knees in front of the figure, digging away fallen stones with his good hand. She was covered with so much dust he couldn't even see the color of her hair. His fingers brushed her skin, and it was cold.

"Indigo," she said from behind him, and his heart restarted. "Are you alright?"

He spun, hugging her fiercely, despite the fact that it hurt, and he probably smelled horrible. "Never do that again," he said with quiet fervor, too tired to make his voice growl. She hugged him back after a moment, and for a long time they just held each other.

"You first," she said after a while, surveying the amounts of dried blood in his clothes. He shook his head numbly, doubting his ability to even speak. He stiffened, remembering the girl under the house, but Riza put a hand on his shoulder before he could turn.

"I'll tell you everything," she promised wearily. "Tomorrow. If you're feeling up to it. But we shouldn't stay here...not anymore. Where is Violet?"

"Tomorrow," Indigo said quietly, his heart aching. She was silent at that."We should leave," he agreed after a beat. His mind didn't seem to want to think much. "Your shadow realm...we should..."

"Absolutely," Riza agreed. She seemed as exhausted as he was. They were both silent for a long moment.

"Or we could just go inside the garden house," Indigo suggested wearily. "And pass out on the floor."

"That's the best idea I've heard all day," Riza said gratefully, yawning wide. "I'll at least get you a pillow."

~o~

**A/N **This chapter got rewritten. Disaster struck, and the entire document became unusable. Turns out it's a common problem with my word processor, which I didn't know about, and with no way to turn it back completely. So in the end I got to go through and delete giant swathes of code, and try and recover snippets of sentences from inside of it. Basically, it SUCKED. I almost cried, wah. T_T Talk about a nightmare for a writer! This one is going to haunt me in my dreams!

Lalala, nearly done now! :D There's only two obscure prophecies left to fulfill, and three chapters remaining. With any amount of luck they'll be done in your lifetimes. I used to hate it when authors were so slow with updates...but I get it now. XD Thanks for reading, and that goes for all the recent newcomers as well!

~K-Tori out! :D


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